Plainfield — Mae Sefransky is a 5-foot-4 setter for the Fitch High School volleyball team, so her position and height don't allow her to attack the opposition like a hitter does.

There are times, however, when a setter has the opportunity to attack with the dump, a surprise pass to an open part of the floor by the other side of the net when the opposition is expecting the setter to pass to a hitter.

Sefransky used the setter dump to stun second-seeded Lyman Memorial during Game 2 of Tuesday's Eastern Connecticut Conference semifinals. She successfully executed it to tie the game at 25 and force side out, and the Falcons went on to win the game and match, 25-16, 27-25, 25-20, at Plainfield High School.

"I had just tried one before, so I figured they wouldn't be expecting it again," Sefransky said. "I would rather have my hitters attack the ball. I like assists more than I like kills. It's more gratifying for me. I like it when they get kills. I feel like the momentum is stronger when they get a kill than when I dump it."

Told that the setter dump gives her a chance to be sneaky, Sefransky said, "I feel like I'm cheating the other team a little bit, though."

Third-seeded Fitch will play top-seeded and defending champion Ledyard in Thursday's championship match at the same site (6 p.m.). The Colonels swept No. 4 Waterford 25-18, 25-10, 25-21 in the second semifinal.

Fitch and Ledyard split their two regular-season meetings during ECC Large Division play.

The Falcons (19-3) wasted an early nine-point lead in the second game and fell behind, 17-14.

Lyman had the serve with the game tied at 24 when Sefransky tried the setter dump. The Bulldogs successfully defended it the first time, but she caught them with her second attempt.

"She's a good setter, one of the best around," Fitch coach Steve Banks said. "That was a big play. She's smart and she's quick."

Banks grinned and added, "We just wish she was about four inches higher, then she would be amazing. We always kid her about that. She's a great player and a great kid."

Michelina Pinto (10 digs) served an ace for game-point. Sefransky (26 assists, three aces) set Sofie Clark for the game winning kill.

Clark had five kills, five blocks and three aces for the Falcons and Jennifer Severino had seven kills and two aces.

Caroline Taber added seven kills, three blocks and three aces and Mackenzie Aldridge had seven kills.

"We've got a multi-faceted attack," Banks said. "We didn't play particularly well tonight, but, hey, good teams win when they don't play well."

Ledyard (19-1) shredded the Lancers in Game 2 of their semifinal when it checked out for a bit.

Waterford (15-6) wisely took advantage and went ahead, 12-6.

Michelle Klinikowski snapped the Colonels out of their malaise with three kills on her team's next four points to close to within 12-10.

"(Waterford is) a very good defensive team and they work hard," said Klinikowski, who play at Boston College next fall. "They showed it (Monday) night against East Lyme that they can come back (down two games to win in five).

"I think in Game 3, we just started settling and kind of stopped playing, which we shouldn't have done. It kind of went downhill, but we had a good comeback."

Katherine Kostic subbed in for Ledyard and served two aces during a five-point run.

Madison Canestrari (11 kills, five blocks) and Klinikowski (19 kills, four aces and three blocks) each had a kill during that rally. Jenny Nohara (30 assists) added a dump to push her team ahead, 23-18.

Vanessa Kobyluck had 18 assists and two aces for Waterford and Mickayla Shelburn had seven kills. Haley Taylor added five kills.

"It just comes down to being able to manage errors," Lancers coach Beau Lucas said. "If we're going to keep giving them free balls, then (Ledyard) is going to be able to run a great offense with two huge hitters (Canestrari and Klinikowski).

"A ton of credit to them. … They executed just a little bit better than we did."

n.griffen@theday.com

Twitter: @MetalNED