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Bald Eagle volleyball drops home opener against state-ranked Hollidaysburg

By HENRY HUBER 6 min read

WINGATE - In terms of second match draws, Bald Eagle Area volleyball drew one of the toughest tests possible. The defending District 6 Class AA champs faced defending District 6 Class AAA champion Hollidaysburg in their home opener on Thursday night. And in PIAA's newly established Class 5A, the Golden Tigers rank No. 10 in the state according to the PA Volleyball Coaches Association.

Ultimately, Hollidaysburg (4-0) proved as strong as advertised in route to handing the Eagles the first loss of their second Larry Campbell era in dominant fashion. Bald Eagle (1-1) managed big plays throughout the night. But its lofty opponent always seemed to have an answer, putting together multiple strong strings to sweep the home team, 3-0, behind set scores of 25-14, 25-18 and 25-13.

For Campbell, it wasn't the worst loss the team could've endured, but it did feature a fair share of shortcomings he hopes they can correct in the coming weeks. The Eagles get a three-day break following the loss, and the head coach feels like that's a good opportunity to learn a few things from film.

"(Hollidaysburg) serves the heck out of it, and that's where we've got to get better, at first contact. Whether it was serve reception or digging the ball high-middle-middle, there are just these bad habits that we're trying to work on," said Campbell.

"Offensively, we weren't bad tonight. Just first contact was very tough. We didn't serve well enough, didn't pass the ball well enough. I don't care how good you are offensively. You've got to be dominant and big, and we're not any of those right now."

When it came to comparing the teams, Campbell felt the consistency Hollidaysburg displayed wasn't replicated by the Eagles. Bald Eagle made great plays within all three sets and did a decent job hanging around and forcing back-and-forth. But, when necessary, the Golden Tigers were able to put strings together to keep the Eagles an arm's length away.

The most notable examples of that came early in the first period and midway through the second.

In the first, Bald Eagle was able to work an early 4-1 deficit down to 6-5 a sequence later. However, just when it seemed like the Eagles would take their first lead early on, Hollidaysburg dropped the hammer.

Hollidaysburg defensive specialist Genevieve Peacock took the server's block and didn't relinquish it for seven serves, as strong serving from Peacock and well-placed kills from Lena Ransom and Isabella Basenback helped them take control. By the time Bald Eagle responded, Hollidaysburg was nearing a double-digit lead - a range it would maintain for the rest of the set.

The Eagles then responded well to a rough start to the second, chipping away at 7-1 deficit and turning it into a three-point one near the set's midway point before the Golden Tigers responded again.

Bald Eagle's fifth service error of the set gave Hollidaysburg the serve, and setter Delani Baird secured five service points in a row. Behind Eagle mistakes and back-to-back kills from Kynlee Budny, BEA once again saw a deficit nearing double figures after previously being within striking distance.

"Level of consistency just wasn't there," said Campbell when asked about those sequences. "I don't want to make excuses, but the truth is, we've got a long way to go, and we've got to get better. The young kids need to get better, and the older kids need to be accountable. There's a lot of opportunity there, but what do we want to do with it?"

Holding a 2-0 lead, Hollidaysburg would go on to put together its strongest set of the night, getting out to a 10-4 lead before exploding towards the finish line.

Bald Eagle forced one last back-and-forth, holding firm and keeping it within five. Then, with the Golden Tigers leading 16-11, they put the nail in the coffin, scoring seven straight points before maintaining that lead to victory. Within that stretch, Ransom and Basenback closed out strong individual performances with four combined kills.

It was a performance defined by occasional mistakes and Hollidaysburg's across-the-board sturdiness. From libero to both outside hitters, the Golden Tigers did a great job dealing with Bald Eagle's strengths while exploiting its weaknesses, with Hollidaysburg outperforming the Eagles in kills 32-16 and aces 8-1.

"For them, we couldn't serve their lib (Makenzie McLanahan). She's good, her sister before her was good," said Campbell when asked about Hollidaysburg's standouts. "We didn't do a good job hitting our zones when we did serve them. Their setter's solid (Delani Baird); she runs a really good offense. They're solid all-around everything."

It was a tough step back from the Eagles' strong start, coming off the heels of a 3-1 road win over Huntingdon in their opener. But considering the strength of their opponent and how early it is in the season, the returning state quarterfinalists can take the loss as a learning experience and build on it, with plenty of time left to develop.

"I gave them the dad speech of, 'Hey, this can be a learning opportunity.' And I told them what I used to think when my father told me that. But the truth is, that it is," said Campbell. "We can get better, or we can just keep making the same errors and be okay with being okay. That's the conversation we had to start the year, and that's kind of where we're at right now."

"Our goal, the whole time, has been, 'Let's be great in November.' When it's time to win, we've got to grow up. They've got three days off to watch some film and get themselves ready to go. Let's get better in the gym," he continued.

Stat wise, Kinsey Clark finished with a team-high 21 digs and four kills while Emily Smith led the team in kills with six. Freshman setter Ella Simpson finished with 12 assists. Kendall Gavlock logged 14 digs, two kills and the team's only ace, and Addelyn Fisher posted the team's lone block alongside a kill and three digs.

The Eagles return to action in another home match against Bedford next Tuesday. That match is set for 6 p.m.

Hollidaysburg 3, Bald Eagle 0

(25-14, 25-18, 25-13)

Bald Eagle kills: Emily Smith 6, Kinsey Clark 4, Claire Thompson 2, Kendall Gavlock 2, Addelyn Fisher 1, Ella Simpson 1. Bald Eagle assists: Ella Simpson 12, Lily Harter 1, Anna Taylor 1. Bald Eagle aces: Kendall Gavlock 1. Bald Eagle digs: Kinsey Clark 21, Kendall Gavlock 14, Riley Housel 6, Anna Taylor 5, Ella Simpson 4, Emily Smith 4, Addelyn Fisher 3, Charlotte Gavlock 1, Claire Thompson 1, Lily Harter 1. Bald Eagle blocks: Addelyn Fisher 1.

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