Saline Comes Up Short in Volleyball Regional Finals

It was a battle to the end, but the Saline volleyball team saw its season end with a hard-fought four set loss to state-power Northville in the D1 Regional Finals Thursday night.

Saline came out on fire and took the opening set 25-18 and battled its way to a 24-24 tie in the second set when a huge call changed the momentum of the match.

The Hornets appeared to take a 25-24 lead, but the call was reversed by the officials to give Northville the one-point lead and the Mustangs got a block at the net to take the set 26-24 and tie the match at 1-1.

The reversed call put Saline on its heels at Northville jumped out to a quick 10-5 lead in the third set and would end up taking the set 25-22 for a 2-1 lead.

The Hornets kept fighting and took a 23-21 lead in the fourth, trying to force a fifth set.

Northville rallied with three straight points to take a 24-23 and had match point. Saline would hold off two match points to tie the match at 25, but the Mustangs would score two straight points to close out the match and end the Hornets season for the second straight year.

The Hornets reached the Regional final after knocking off sixth-ranked Brighton in four sets Tuesday night.

Saline would come out quick and a Mallory Bohl kill would give the Hornets a 25-22 win in the first set.

Brighton bounced back in the second 25-22, but the Hornets controlled the third set and took an 18-9 lead. The Hornets would close out the set with another Bohl kill to take it 25-15 and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Saline would take a 24-22 lead in the fourth, but after the Bulldogs held off one match point and hit into the net by Brighton gave the set and match to the Hornets 25-23.

While it wasn’t a trip to the semifinals for the Hornets, it was still another stellar season for Saline. They finish with a 35-13-2 overall record.

Photos by Dawn McCann