Forget any cliches because the third time did not prove charming to the Baldwinsville girls volleyball team.
Again put into a Class AA regional final against Section II powerhouse Shenendehowa, the Bees saw an all-out effort fall short as it lost in three sets to the Plainsmen Saturday at Gloversville High school.
In doing so, Shen repeated 2014 and 2015 regional wins over B’ville, though once again it proved an exciting match, especially in the first two sets, when early opportunities just slipped out of the Bees’ grasp.
B’ville claimed a 5-2 lead in the first set, and though it gave up that advantage to the Plainsmen, it fought back to go up 21-17, a few points away from an important early lead.
But Shen rallied, tied it and then picked up the last two points to win the set 26-24. Then, in the second set, the Bees, trailing 17-10, roared back to take a 22-21 lead, things going back and forth from there as B’ville fought off one set point, but not the second one as the Plainsmen won it 26-24.
The third set began like the first two, with the Bees using five straight points to erase an early 10-6 deficit, but here Shen made a decisive 9-1 push that led to a 25-16 decision as, once again, the Bees’ state title dreams ended at the Plainsmen’s expense.
Katie Welcher finished with 14 kills and two blocks, while Michelle Voyer gained eight kills and 10 digs and Kiannah Titus added five kills, plus five digs. Maddie Stone fed them 22 assists to go with six digs and three aces as Summer McClintic earned 11 digs and four assists and Skyler Parrow-Strong finished with nine digs.
Going into 2017, B’ville will miss Voyer, Titus, Parrow-Strong, Abby Monica and Rachel Foertch, but having a deep pool of returning players, including Welcher, Stone, McClintic and Kristen Liu, means that another championship push is likely.
