ARGYLE — It took five sets, but the Orioles figured out how to close out a big match.
“It’s something we are constantly reminding them to do, ‘Stay confident; stay positive — you can do this,’” Argyle coach Jen Green said after her team defeated Barneveld 25-16, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-10 on Oct. 6. “I’m very proud of how they were able to snap back and come through in the end.”
While the two teams split the first four sets, the Orioles never got off to the kind of start that grabbed instant momentum.
“We definitely got into our heads, especially in the last three sets,” Argyle junior Maggie Godfrey said. “We usually let them get leads and it just goes downhill, but we ended up getting back up and it helped us win tonight.”
I try to go for whatever I can possibly get to. I like having my body on the floor; I like going for digs. It just helps boost my confidence.Maggie Godfrey, Argyle junior
Barneveld led 5-3 after the first eight serves of the night, only for the Orioles to go on runs of four and six later in the set to seize control. In the second set, the Eagles led 4-1 and later 11-7 and 19-14 before Argyle caught fire and closed on an 11-2 run.
Keying the late run with a six-point serve streak was Maggie Godfrey. A jack-of-all-trades, Godfrey brings a hammer at the net, a powerful jump serve and with her long arms can dig nearly any ball from the back row.
“I try to go for whatever I can possibly get to. I like having my body on the floor; I like going for digs. It just helps boost my confidence,” she said. “I feel like I’m helping my team out by going for every ball.
“It’s definitely harder in the back row having people hit at you and trying to angle your passes right, and the front row’s a little bit easier. It’s just a big difference from front row to back row.”
The ability to use every last inch of her frame came in handy in the fifth set. Barneveld continued to get out to early leads in the third and fourth set, and closed each one out handily. Green told her players to buckle down, focus and keep their chins up.
“We really struggle with the mental side of the game and staying confident. You’re going to make mistakes, it’s part of the game — nobody’s perfect. We just dig ourselves into those holes and we have a hard time getting out,” Green said. “Barneveld was tough. They kept coming back and it seemed like we couldn’t catch a break there for the longest time like those rolls falling right over the net and things like that.”
Argyle went up 2-1 in the fifth after a tip and a hammer by Godfrey. The two teams sparred over the next 10 points, but a side out and a strong kill by Tori Lantz forced Eagles coach Martina Reuter to call a timeout. When play resumed, Barneveld came out firing — only for Godfrey to be ready in the back row. A heavy kill attempt was stretched for and dug out by Godfrey to save the point, and Barneveld failed to return the volley on the next serve as well, giving Argyle a stunning 11-6 advantage in the race to 15.
“We had to get our crap together and get our heads out of our butts, because we were definitely down in our game earlier, and it had prevented us from playing well,” Godfrey said.
An illegal hit gave possession back to Barneveld, and a back row kill by the Eagles made it 11-8. However, Lantz brought the ball back to the home team’s side with a spike and followed that up with an immediate ace to put the Eagles on their heels.
Barneveld was tough. They kept coming back and it seemed like we couldn’t catch a break there for the longest time like those rolls falling right over the net and things like that.Jen Green, Argyle coach
Godfrey sealed the match with a monster kill, sending her teammates into the air in joy.
“It’s just a huge win for us,” said Godfrey, who led her team with 24 kills and three aces. “They are a pretty good team and good competition.”
Breann Flannery was the rock in the back row all night, finishing with 26 digs, while Megan Johnson took control of the passing and amassed 40 assists. Hannah Gierhart added two blocks for the Orioles.
Argyle has struggled through much of the shortened season so far, losing multiple tight matches along the way. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantining of players, the team has finally been able to play its full roster.
“It’s still an adjustment, and it’s still new because when you have a player out and they come back, you’re still getting used to having them on the floor,” said Green, adding that the team had only one other match this season with its full roster.
Argyle was scheduled to host Juda Oct. 8, then host Albany Oct. 12 before traveling to Monticello the next night to close out the regular season.
