Girls' Volleyball: Marauders Come Up Short in Five-Set Thriller

After two hours and four competitive sets, the Belmont High School Girls' Volleyball team was a mere two points from taking a monumental match with non-league visitor Wayland High at Belmont's home court in the Wenner Field House Monday, Sept. 18. 

Yet Wayland finished off the final set two in front to win the set and match, 15-13, in a contest that will be remembered by long rallies – crossing the net up to ten times – and, for Belmont, great serving.

While Belmont came out smoking in the first set, going up 16-11 under the back row leadership of Sam Nelson and serves by Becki Sonduos, Wayland took the lead at 19-20 and ran away with the set 21-25.

Annie Hang looping serve powered Belmont to a 8-0 start in the second, leading the way to a quick 25-10 set win.

The third set was tight with no team getting more than two points ahead. Then, after apparently winning a long point to go up 17-15, that point was reversed for what was a minor infraction that was not seen by the players. At 16-16, the Marauders  committed two miscues which led to a 7-0 Wayland run to 16-23. 

But Belmont's Ziling Zhou put on her own hard serving display to bring Belmont back to 22-23. In fact, Belmont came one point way from winning the set at 25-24 and 26-25 after a Rosy Fitzgerald kill. 

Yet three straight points for Wayland, including one Belmont serve that was just out, allowed the Warriors to once again come back to win the third. 

Like the second set, Belmont took off and went up by seven points for most of fourth set and won going away, 25-15. 

The final set was a close and nervy one, with individual standout defensive play including Louise Faye's wonderful diving dig that resulted in Belmont going ahead 4-3. And while Belmont was ahead, 8-6, at the change over, Wayland went on a 2-6 run to go up 10-12. And while Belmont got it down to 13-14 with a great block at the net, the service return ended up in the net and on the court. 

Belmont now stands at 1-2 and will take on 1-1 Stoneham on Wednesday, Sept. 18.