The end of the road came a little too soon for the four seniors on Voorheesville’s girls volleyball team.
The Blackbirds lost their first four sets in pool play Saturday and finished third in Class C at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
`When we came here, we wanted to win (the state title),` said Voorheesville’s Caroline Bablin, who is part of a senior class that won four straight Section II titles. `Obviously, that isn’t going to happen, but we played well.`
`It’s kind of an unprecedented thing for this school and this section to make it back to the state tournament four years in a row,` said assistant coach Adrian Michalski, who was filling in for varsity coach Ashely Swint while Swint attended her sister’s wedding. `This core of seniors have accomplished quite a lot. It’s been an impressive four years for them.`
Bablin, Libby Bjork, Erin Gannon and Tori Hargrave were hoping to guide Voorheesville back to the state finals, but those hopes were dashed after Millbrook and Eden each swept the Blackbirds in the first two rounds of pool play. Voorheesville battled back to beat Mattituck 25-15 and 25-5 to close out its state tournament run.
Millbrook began the day by beating Voorheesville 25-15 and 25-14. Defending state champion Eden then knocked off the Blackbirds 25-11 and 25-13.
`Millbrook, we knew it have gone either way and unfortunately it went their way,` said Bablin. `Eden? It’s hard to beat a team like that, but it’s fun to play them because it’s good competition.`
`Eden has been the best team in the state for five years now, and I just wanted us to play with them and we did,` said Michalski. `We had a nice run of points there for a while (in the second set).`
Voorheesville was shorthanded at the state tournament, as junior hitter Nicole Brower was still recovering from a bout of appendicitis. Michalski had freshman Lauren Mackey fill in for Brower.
`I think the level competition is a lot higher at this level, and asking a freshman to play in a situation like this is tough,` said Michalski. `She’s done a great job for us, but it’s still tough.`
`It’s been difficult, but there’s been a lot of girls who stepped up for us today,` added Bjork. `The energy has been very good.`
Though their careers ended shy of the state finals, Bablin and Bjork said they were happy to be in Glens Falls one more time.
`It’s a great accomplishment just to get here,` said Bjork.
