BELCHERTOWN, Mass. – The short-handed Taconic volleyball team Thursday got off to a slow start, battled back but could not overcome Belchertown in the first round of the Division 3 State Tournament.

 

Natalia Dos Santos was credited with 33 digs, and Ella Stodden passed out 14 assist for the Thunder in a 25-8, 25-17, 27-25 loss to the 14th-seeded Orioles, who beat Taconic, 3-1, in the Western Massachusetts Class B quarter-finals.

 

“We started the night playing a little too conservatively and our defense wasn't aggressive enough,” Taconic coach Lance Fyfe said. “The first set was a huge let down for us at 8-25 vs a team that we have proven to be able to compete with. We turned it up in the second set and our game plan began to pay off by having sophomore Angelese Ward-Green block line on our right side to protect our setter and force Belchertown's top hitter to swing cross court to our top defender Natalia Dos Santos.

 

“Natalia did a great job of digging up the best of what they could dish out, and Angie kept their hitter in check by blocking and getting pieces of the ball when she tried to avoid Natalia.”

 

Lacey Daley had five digs and five kills, and Jadyn Galliher had five digs and four kills in the loss.

 

With two regulars – Nevaeh Williams and Janayah Jones – injured, Taconic was down to just 10 players available, and Fyfe said all 10 contributed.

 

“Sophomores Fernanda DeSiqueira and Angelese Ward-Green filled in for our two injured players and did an awesome job,” he said. “Together they combined for three blocks, two kills, seven digs, and one assist.”

 

Taconic finishes the season with a record of 13-8.