Firebirds serve notice in signature win
Phoenix sophomore Haley Brown (4) spikes the ball past block attempts from Homer players during a varsity girls volleyball match on Sept. 22 at Phoenix.
By JOSH ST. CROIX
PHOENIX — The Phoenix varsity girls volleyball team stamped what is believed to be the longest undefeated start in team history with a landmark victory Tuesday night.
The Firebirds rose above the perennial obstacle in their path and delivered an emphatic 3-0 sweep of the Homer Trojans in front of an energetic home crowd at Emerson J. Dillon Middle School.
Phoenix climbed to 8-0 overall and beat Homer (6-2) for the first time in at least the past decade.
“This is a super huge moment for our team, and I would say for Phoenix, because for the past five years, we haven’t been able to beat Homer,” said senior co-captain, Maura Catanzaro. “We’ve gotten close, but we haven’t been able to beat them, and to sweep them tonight in three (sets) is so big for us. We are all so proud of each other, because we worked so hard for this moment, and I’m so glad we earned it.”
Phoenix led for the majority of all three sets en route to the 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 victory that had eluded the program on the rise.
The Firebirds have swept every match thus far and are one of two remaining undefeated teams in Section III. They improved to 8-0 for the first time, according to past records available at syracuse.com and maxpreps.com.
They also maintained the upper hand in their mission to repeat as Onondaga High School League Liberty 1 Division champions after claiming the first league title in team history last fall.
“This is a huge win for us,” said fourth-year Phoenix head coach Beth Munger. “They’re a great program, and we’ve been working hard for this.”
Phoenix has made significant strides in recent years, but toppling the traditional power has consistently proven too tall a task — until Tuesday night.
The Firebirds finished 11-7 and a perfect 8-0 in league games last season, but they suffered a 3-1 loss to the Trojans while playing in separate OHSL divisions.
In the 2024 campaign, Phoenix hosted Homer in a similar showdown as both entered with identical 6-0 records. The Trojans captured a 3-0 victory and completed the season sweep later that season to deny the Firebirds a chance at their first league crown.
“That was crushing for us, but this year, an 8-0 start is incredible for these girls,” Munger said. “They have worked so hard at practice and in the offseason to get to this point, and I am so happy for them and proud for them.”
Senior co-captain Karlee Bradley recalled the 2024 losses to Homer afterward and said the team was fueled by the magnitude of the matchup and its past heartbreaks against the familiar foe.
“Knowing you’re going to play against a really competitive team, it just builds your energy higher right from the start,” Bradley said.
Phoenix’s channeled emotion was apparent from the onset and the unit fed off an enthusiastic student section from the first serve on Tuesday.
Catanzaro smashed a spike to tie the first set, 10-10, then took over the serve and led a 4-0 scoring run that prompted a timeout by Homer. Phoenix led for the remainder of the set, which was capped off by another Catanzaro kill with the assist from fellow senior Jaylyn Fisher.
“They came in with energy and spirit and fight, and they were not going to give up,” Munger said. “They were very determined tonight.”
The Firebirds remained in control throughout much of the final two sets, keeping their poise through long rallies and alternating scoring runs. Catanzaro fittingly delivered the final kill to complete the sweep and kick off a celebration years in the making. The student fans appeared to be talked out of storming the court to join in, but still expressed their appreciation afterward.
Catanzaro led all players with 16 kills to go with 13 digs while Bradley added 15 kills and four blocks. Fisher finished with a match-high 40 assists and tied Bradley for the team lead in blocks. Junior libero Ava Meyers tallied 14 digs while sophomore varsity newcomer Haley Brown added 13 digs and eight kills.
Bradley ranks second among all Section III players in blocks for the season while she and Catanzaro both rank in the top 10 for kills. Meyers ranks second in the section for total digs and is joined by Catanzaro and Brown in the top 10. Fisher ranks second in assists and Catanzaro is third in total aces.
“We’re all just like pieces to a puzzle, because if we’re missing a piece, we’re not fully together,” Catanzaro said. “Everybody works hard together, and we’re playing so well.”
Phoenix is aiming for a third straight winning season after posting an 11-7 record in each of the past two years, both of which ended in the Section III quarterfinals.
The program has enjoyed a spike in production after launching a club team in 2023 to train year-round and provide opportunities for offseason tournaments and camps. Several players have also joined outside clubs and pursued other avenues to develop their respective games.
“They genuinely love playing volleyball and playing with each other and playing for their school,” Munger said. “It’s something they are very, very proud of, but they do put in a lot of work in the offseason training and going to camps and preparing for the season.”
Phoenix has another challenging test ahead next Tuesday against OHSL Liberty 1 Division foe Westhill (6-1), which has also topped Phoenix in each of Munger’s previous three seasons at the helm.
Seven of the Firebirds’ final nine opponents entered today with a winning record. They face Homer again on Oct. 13 on the road.
“We’re just looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing what we can do,” Munger said. “We have a tough schedule coming up from here on out, and we’re excited to see what we can do.”
Phoenix senior co-captain Maura Catanzaro (18) watches as Homer players scramble to return her spike during a varsity girls volleyball match Sept. 22 at Phoenix.
Phoenix seniors Jaylyn Fisher (5) and Karlee Bradley (9) jump to block a Homer kill attempt during a varsity girls volleyball match Sept. 22 at Phoenix.
Phoenix senior co-captain Maura Catanzaro (18) gathers with teammates to celebrate a point during a varsity girls volleyball victory over Homer Sept. 22 at Phoenix.
