Bailon steps in at setter, helps Rochester in comeback win over Lewis Cass

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Brailyn Hunter Kyra Doran

WALTON — The Rochester volleyball team lost the first set of their Three Rivers Conference opener to host Lewis Cass Tuesday, and Lewis Cass had two set points in the second set.

And that only started to sum up the adversity the Lady Zs were dealing with. Junior Aubrey Wilson, the team’s top hitter and co-setter along with Amara Wieringa, was out after suffering an ankle injury in practice last week.

That’s where sophomore Maddy Bailon stepped in. Normally a middle hitter, Bailon moved to setter as part of the two-setter system and helped lead Rochester to a 16-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-18 win.

Rochester improved to 3-6 overall and 1-0 in the TRC. Lewis Cass dropped to 3-4, 0-2.

“She did pretty well,” Rochester coach Laneia Strasser said. “Maddy’s the kind of kid, like I’ve said, you can play her anywhere, and she’s going to adapt. We have a lot of work to do, but she did a great job.”

Down 22-24 in the second set, Amara Wieringa went over the net on two and scored on a lefty tip. Then came a kill from freshman Adalyn Gonzalez, a left-handed jolt after both teams caressed the ball over the net on an important point. That made it 24-24.

Then came perhaps the most important serve of the match, a Wieringa ace that handcuffed Lewis Cass. A Bailon kill capped the set.

Bailon called Wilson “very vital” to the team.

“I found out on Saturday,” Bailon said when asked when she knew she would set. “We had practice that day, and I was practicing to become a setter. I practiced a little before the game. And how I felt about setter? It was very interesting. I had like a day-and-a-half to practice, so it was definitely interesting, definitely something to adapt and get used to. But overall, it was a pretty good experience.”

Rochester then went on a 7-0 run behind Logyn Honkomp’s serve to take a 21-14 lead in Game 3 before Lewis Cass countered with four straight points.

Strasser called timeout. Wieringa’s flying dig preserved a point that ended on a Bailon kill. It was 22-18.

But Lewis Cass scored four more points to cap an 8-1 run. Kami Silcox capped the run with back-to-back aces. Rochester gave up on the second serve thinking it was going to go out of bounds before it parachuted to the floor just inside the baseline.

Strasser called her last timeout.

This time the momentum changed. Silcox again served deep. The Rochester back line let it go again. This time it landed long.

Rochester led 23-22. Then came a Wieringa kill. Then came a Lewis Cass overdig to end a long rally. Rochester junior Kyra Doran was there to slam it to the deck on the other side of the net. Rochester led 2-1.

Rochester led 15-14 in Game 4 before a Bailon kill, a Brailyn Hunter kill and a Rilyn Strasser ace gave the Lady Zs a four-point margin.

Back-to-back kill errors from Lewis Cass’ Presley Johnson made it 23-16, and two Emma Hildebrand errors from Lewis Cass closed it out.

Strasser was asked about the team’s communication without Wilson, perhaps the team’s vocal leader.

“We struggled, and set one’s proof of that,” coach Strasser said. “I kept telling them it’s the same game. You still have to talk the same amount, if not more – even more because we’re going to be playing where we don’t normally play. But it got better in sets two, three and four. I always think there’s room for improvement, but it got better.”

Strasser also had huge praise for Brailyn Hunter as a six-rotation player.

“I let Brailyn play all the way around, and Brailyn did a great job,” Strasser said. “Brailyn’s one of those kids, you know, when she’s on, she’s on, and she was on tonight, and it was great to see that. We needed that side of Brailyn to play. We see that side of her in practice, and it was great to see it in a game tonight.”

Bailon praised senior leaders Ella Hake and Avarie Montel, saying she looks up to both. Meanwhile, friends Wieringa and Bailon, the only sophomores on the varsity, were living their dream.

“It is so much fun,” Bailon said. “I love playing with Amara. Amara’s one of my friends. I think she helps me a lot, especially since I became a setter today. She’s helped me so much, which is very great. I needed that help.”

Coach Strasser said Wilson has a “pretty good sprain” of her left ankle. She was spotted on the bench needing crutches. She will miss Thursday’s home TRC match with Peru. Rochester’s next match after that is a road match against defending conference, sectional and regional champion Southwood Sept. 11, and coach Strasser said she is “optimistic” that Wilson will be available for that match.