PLEASANT HILL – Its was an aerial battle between the Jets of Franklin Monroe and Northeastern. FM was flying high after the first two sets before the Jets of Northeastern engaged them in a dogfight the rest of the way. Northeastern won the next two sets sending the game to a tie breaker that would go all the way to the wire but in the Northeastern out maneuvered Franklin Monroe winning the decisive final set 15-13 to move on in the tournament.
Franklin Monroe played an exciting brand of volleyball in the first two sets. In set one with the score tied at 7-7 Franklin Monroe began to pull away. They served the ball well, set the ball and hit it well going on to a 25-20 win.
In the second set FM took command early and seemed to click in all phases on their way to a 25-14 win.
“Momentum was big for us in the first and second set, we were connecting on all cylinders, our hitters and setters were connecting getting passes where we needed them to be,” coach Ashley Day commented.
The girls were having fun, lots of smiles, celebration coming from the student section and little dances from the reserves on the bench. It appeared they were well on their way to a three-set sweep.
But Northeastern was about to steal the momentum away from Franklin Monroe after jumping out to an 11-1 third set lead, all of sudden nothing was going right for Franklin Monroe, and everything was going in favor of their opponent.
After having 9 aces in the first two sets, communication was lacking, service errors appeared, the passing was not spot on and hitting fell off as Northeastern rolled on to a 25-16 third set win.
Getting the momentum back is hard once it goes away and Franklin Monroe being a young team with just two seniors Alivia Addis and Katie Waller tried to steer the team back on track only to fall 25-18 in the fourth set.
The game went to a tie-breaking 5th set and it would be a nail biter.
In the fifth set FM got down 8-4 but was able to slowly chip away drawing to 9-8 only to see Northeastern expand their lead back to 13-8 before Alivia Addis put down to stop their run at 13-9.
Junior Jaylin Swiger then toed the line going to work with her service as they rallied to tie the game at 13-13 prompting a Northeastern timeout.
Northeastern was able to break serve after the timeout going up 14-13 and with their best server at the line finished out the game for a 15-13 win.
“The ending was hard, the girls were really working hard and they wanted this, but we just fell a little short,” coach Day said.
Coach Day also talked about the last game for Olivia Addis and Katie Waller.
“Those girls mean the world to me. It’s going to be hard to see them go next year. They were great leaders on the floor for me this year, they made points happen when we needed them. And they’re just wonderful girls all the way around,” Day praised.
It was a tough way to go out but for Franklin Monroe it’s something they can build on for next year. The Jets conclude their season with a 5-17 record overall and 4-7 in the WOAC.
“These girls work hard all year and got better, so I’m confident for next season that we’ll be a force to reckon with,” Day concluded.
