WATERVLIET — The Brandywine volleyball team dug itself an early hole and just couldn’t climb out of it in time to advance to the finals of the Class C Regional Tournament Tuesday.

The Bobcats trailed Schoolcraft (35-14-2) 17-3 in the first set, which it went on to lose 25-14. The Eagles also took the second set 25-14.

Brandywine (28-11-4) did rally to win the third set 25-23, but Schoolcraft held on to defeat the Bobcats 25-16 in the fourth and final set.

“We looked like deer caught in the headlights,” Brandywine coach Carl Greulich said about the slow start. “I hate that saying, but it’s true.”

Despite the huge Schoolcraft first set lead, the Bobcats found their footing and cut the to lead to 21-14 following an Eagle net error.

But a kill by Marrianne Douglas and an ace by Laura Baumann gave Schoolcraft the first set victory.

Brandywine played much better from the outset of the second set and actually took its first lead (3-2) when Schoolcraft hit a ball long. Five consecutive Bobcats errors gave the Eagles an 8-4 lead that it would never relinquish.

Brandywine was able to cut it to 18-14 on an ace by Abby Cole, but that would be as close as the Bobcats would get.

Schoolcraft would win the final seven points, to take the second set. Douglas would pick up four of those points on kills.

“Our middles tonight were off,” Eagles’ coach Erin Onken said. “Marianne was our go-to player.”

Brandywine trailed at the beginning of the third set, but following back-to-back kills by Jessy Cooper, the set was tied at 8-8.

Schoolcraft surged ahead again, led by a pair of kills by Douglas.

An Alissa Gamble kill cut the lead to 15-13 and a pair of Eagle mistakes allowed the Bobcats to square the set at 15-15. Two more Schoolcraft miscues gave Brandywine the lead for good at 18-16.

The Bobcats finished them off with kills by Cooper, Brooke Smith and Mackenzie Shelton.

Brandywine never really got into the fourth and final set.

The lead quickly grew from 7-5 to 16-8 following a Bobcat net error.

The Eagles finished the match with a block and an ace by Kara Craig and an ace by Douglas.

Shelton and Cooper wrapped up their careers with strong performances for the Bobcats. Shelton had 14 kills, 14 digs and a block. Cooper had 11 kills, 23 assists and a block.

Schoolcraft advances to Thursday’s regional final against either Bangor or Kalamazoo Christian.

 

Class C Regional Volleyball

at Watervliet

Schoolcraft d. Brandywine 3-1

 

Brandywine statistics

Kills

Mackenzie Shelton 14

Jessy Coopear 11

 

Digs

Ashley DeJonge 15

Shelton 14

 

Blocks

Cooper 1

Shelton 1

 

Aces

Mikayla Kemp 2

 

Assists

Cooper 23

DeJonge 10