Hard to believe that, despite leading just once in a two-set span Thursday night and holding that lead for just a point, Piedra Vista still very nearly pushed Bayfield to a tiebreaking fifth set.
Actually, when considering the programs involved, it probably didn’t surprise anyone as the latest chapter in the well-known interstate rivalry’s history was written – with hosting BHS coming out on top 22-25, 25-16, 25-17, 25-23.
“Kudos to PV for a great game,” head coach Terene Foutz said. “We were a little more inconsistent than we’re accustomed to; what they were doing is attacking our Area 1, away from our libero – I’m guessing that was their plan. So what we did is adjust our block wide, to force them to the inside … to our senior libero Lauren Rich.”
“So once they started hitting cross-court she was lined up great – that changed things at the end a little bit, when they started hitting cross-court to our best defender. We handled the adjustment well.”
Fighting through 14 ties in Set 1, the Panthers overcame Bayfield senior Evelette Hollibaugh’s kill knotting things up at 22-22, and reached set point, 24-22, via a scoring block by junior Sara Love James. Junior libero Aalysa Estrada then served, and after BHS couldn’t produce offensively, junior Sadie Current crushed a kill – giving the guests the 1-0 match lead.
“We’d watched film from Farmington’s game versus Bayfield,” said Piedra Vista head coach Rebekah Caliendo. “We were talking beforehand – coming into that first set we were really, really prepared and it just felt really good. Our setters did a great job connecting with our hitters and our passers did a really great job.”
But the Wolverines (10-5 overall, 3-2 CHSAA 3A Intermountain) responded by breaking out to a 7-0 lead in Set 2, with junior Vivien Clance holding serve and firing two aces, and both Hollibaugh and junior Kambria Bailey each landing a placed tip shot. Patience paid off for PVHS (6-6 overall), and hitting errors by Clance and senior Grace Barber allowed the visitors to rally back to 11-10.
BHS freshman Cora Hanson downed a kill, but Piedra Vista crept back to as close as 13-12 before Hanson sparked a crucial 5-0 run giving the Wolverines the breathing room they’d need to close out the set – via a Clance kill preceded by two from Barber – and even the match at a set apiece.
Panther junior setter Kinzley Verhulst opened Set 3 on serve, but PVHS led only at 1-0 and last leveled the score at 2-2 before a Bailey kill triggered another 5-0 run. Piedra Vista continued fighting, however, and a Current kill closed the gap to 16-14 before Bayfield rebuilt the lead to 21-15. After another Current kill clipped that advantage down to 21-17, the Wolverines strung together four straight points, including a netted PVHS pass on set point.
Piedra Vista was far from subdued, however, and Set 4 quickly began resembling Set 1 as the sides swapped points all the way out to 9-9 after Bayfield dulled the Panthers’ early 3-1 edge. But after PVHS junior Natalie Vigil re-tied the score with a kill, BHS regained the upper hand and slim 12-9 advantage after a Rich ace.
Current helped curb that brief enthusiasm and PVHS equalized at 12-12 and Foutz spent a timeout. Which, at first, appeared to pay dividends; keyed by back-to-back Barber bashes, Bayfield broke free with a 6-1 spree and went up 18-13. Caliendo burned a timeout, and helped by James’ play, the Panthers closed to 19-18 and eventually re-tied the score at 21.
With no timeouts left, Foutz and her team had no choice but play out their hand. Piedra Vista sophomore Khloe Freestone, however, downed a kill and junior Niyeli Walker-Collins followed with a slower roll shot, but Hollibaugh kept BHS alive with a tip and then tied the score at 23 with a kill. Caliendo still had a timeout available, and chose to use it after Hollibaugh was awarded a disputed kill putting Bayfield on match point, 24-23.
Current had ended Set 1 with a kill, but BHS’ serve left the capable Freestone as Verhulst’s best option – and the Wolverines were ready for her; senior setter Avery Shipman paired with Barber to make a victory-securing tandem block.
“Tonight was a good example of what we do every day in the gym against each other,” Foutz said. “We don’t talk ‘lineups’ at all; we mix up our lineups every single day … so it’s seamless when a kid goes in, and it was pretty seamless for us. The whole goal’s that we’re stronger together, and no matter which middle’s in, which outside’s in, which (defensive specialist) or setter, Bayfield rolls.”
Piedra Vista was to begin District 1-5A work on Tuesday against Albuquerque Volcano Vista.
Bayfield, meanwhile, will get homecoming week underway on Tuesday against Montezuma-Cortez.
