Alyssa Craft and Alexis Egler jumped up and blocked Troy’s hit over the net.
The ball came down on the Colts? side and out of reach for the players. It brought the Wolves one point away to tie in the fourth set in the first round of the Class A regional playoffs.
Both sides continued the battle to finish with a win.
‘We were down a ton of points,? said Clarkston Varsity Volleyball Coach Kelly Avenall. ‘They came up and fought hard.?
The Wolves were behind by eight points at the beginning of the game and with losing the game on the line they put in a fight and quickly caught up to Troy.
Troy finished the set, 25-22. It was the win they needed to continue in the playoffs and Clarkston lost, 3-1.
‘Troy came out like bandits,? said Avenall. ‘We were a little surprised at first – a little back on our heels. It was a tough loss for them. They really wanted to get beyond this point.
‘I don’t want to take anything away from my team. They had a great season.?
The day marked an end for six seniors – Craft, Kelley Croll, Lauren Gardner, Mallory Godschalk, Kelsey Flaishans, and Johanna Kupe.
‘Our seniors are great kids and great leaders. I’m going to miss them,? said Avenall. ‘I feel bad for the seniors, that it had to end this way.?
After the game they pulled the rest of the team aside for their final words.
‘They talked to the whole team about they wanted to leave with the memory of it being a great team and they had a great year,? said Avenall. ‘They were great role models for the rest of the team.?
Clarkston lost the first set, 25-16. Allison Reis, Croll and Kupe contributed with key hits.
The girls started the next set in the lead and kept Troy from taking the lead. A kill from Croll ended the game, 25-21.
They lost the next two sets, 25-20 and 25-22.
Jenna Coates had 27 digs and Gardner had ten kills for the game.
The Wolves finished the season winning their district, the league championship in the OAA Red, won three out of six tournaments and ended the season with an overall record 44-7-1.
Troy played Bloomfield Hills Marian in the finals of regionals and lost, 3-0.