Lenox Downs Wahconah on Senior Night

LENOX, Mass. – Even as her varsity volleyball career winds down, Lenox’s Sara Isby is finding ways to challenge herself.

 

And that paid off in a three-set Senior Night win over Wahconah on Thursday.

 

Isby served three aces in a six-point service run in the second set of a 25-21, 25-13, 25-11 win.

 

And she credited her success to a new wrinkle she threw into her game with three matches left in the regular season.

 

“I just started jump serving,” said Isby, one of six seniors the Millionaires recognized before the match. “I gave it a try, and it worked.

 

“I’ve just been regular serving, but I’ve been trying [jump serving] in practice. So I thought I’d give it a try, and I guess it worked tonight.”

 

Pretty much everything was working for Lenox, which pulled away late in the first set for a narrow win and never looked back in winning its sixth straight match and completing a season sweep of Wahconah.

 

The visitors pushed Lenox hard in the first set.

 

A four-point run on Ila Gagne’s serve gave Wahconah a 13-12 lead..

 

And it was 17-14 after Delaney Drake won a couple of points on her serve, the first on a tip from Emma Russell.

 

Lenox answered with a kill by senior Isabella Baltazar (five kills, five aces, 14 assists) for a side out and three straight points on the serve of Evelyn Julieano (12 kills, six digs, three aces) to go ahead.

 

But Wahconah made one more stand, getting the serve back and getting a kill from Gagne to lead at 19-18.

 

Lenox, however, got a side out on a service error and senior Brooklyn Rodriguez (three aces) served four straight points – two on aces – to make it 23-19. Moments later, Lenox put away the set.

 

An early three-point run on Isby’s serve established a 5-1 lead in the second, and Lenox slowly extended that margin before she got the ball back with her team ahead, 15-8, and served the next six points.

 

Isby finished the night with seven kills and eight digs to go along with her three aces.

 

Sophomore Olivia Ackerman passed out eight assists in splitting the setting duties with Rodriguez.

 

But Thursday was mostly about the senior class, even though it still has plenty of volleyball left to play this fall.

 

“It feels great,” Isby said of winning on Senior Night. “I’m really proud of us. It was fun. … The ceremony, it was really sweet. A lot of tears, but a lot of smiles too. I’m just proud of the team.”

 

Lenox (12-1) is home against Monument Mountain on Friday.

 

Wahconah (5-11) hosts Agawam on Friday.