Bureau Valley rallies for a senior night victory

MANLIUS - The Bureau Valley Storm have had to overcome a little adversity this volleyball season.

Falling behind 19-13 in the second set after losing the first 25-19 was nothing.

The Storm rallied to take the second set 25-21 and capped off a senior night victory over Biggsville West Central in Lincoln Trail Conference play with a 25-21 clincher in the third set.

“I’m very glad we won for our senior night,” BV senior striker Kinley Canady said. “Especially for our volleyball team, it’s really been a hard year, because some of our two of our best players transferred schools. This is really a special night, because they were my two best friends. This is a special night for me.”

Canady said it’s been especially hard on the team, because they had to reshuffle their lineup in midstream.

“It was right in the middle of the season and we had to switch on the fly with a new lineup. We’ve been working hard with that lineup and it turned out for a win for us tonight.”

Storm coach Saige Barnett said the circumstances of losing seniors Taylor Neuhalfen and Madi Smith to the mid-season transfer to a neighboring school made it bitter sweet.

“They were a part of these girls’ team up until a few weeks ago, so it was for them, too,” she said. “We truly wish them the best. Whatever they are hoping for, we want that for them and we are still loving them and care about them. We did it for them, too.”

West Central put the Heat on the Storm in the middle set scoring six straight to take a 16-10 lead and using a 9-3 run to go up 19-13.

Then came the Storm.

Canady hit for three straight kills and followed a hitting error by the Heat with another to give the Storm a 20-19 edge. Lesleigh Maynard served up an ace and Maddie Wetzel scored on a push to make it 22-19.

Canady struck again with a hit off a block and straight down at the end to put BVu p 23-20. After the Storm sided out on a net serve by West Central, Kendra Stull hit for game point at 25-21.

“I think it was just energy. The energy was there. We had some plays in our favor and we just rose to the occasion,” Canady said.

“We had that common goal of wanting it for each other, wanting it for the seniors and we pulled it out. And we played some good volleyball. we played together. Yah, it was awesome,” Barnett said.

Barnett said the Storm simply just didn’t want to lose.

“From the summer, we said we might not be the most talented, but we just have to want it more. And that’s been our motto all season and for us to come full circle on senior night was huge,” she said.

The third game went back and forth with 14 ties with neither team leading by more than two points on the way to a 19-19 stalemate.

Canady put the Storm up for a good with a kill at 20-19. Maynard placed an ace in the back left corner to make it 21-19. After a sideout and two Heat hitting errors, Canady brought the hammer out to nail match point.

Barnett said her team has proven to be resilient.

“Whatever curveball comes our way, we’ve been able to adjust. We’ve been able to rally together, because we know we have a season to finish,” she said.

Canady finished the night with 25 kills while Maynard served up 17 points, including seven aces.

In Game 1, the Storm managed to play even at 8-8, before the Heat warmed up. West Central scored 10 out of next 12 points to go up 18-10. The Storm were able to get as close as 19-14 and 23-19, but no closer, falling 25-19.