Rocket VB has come on at the end, but might be running out of time

10/12/2023

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A month ago the Titusville girls volleyball team was a hapless 1-4. Their only win was 3-1 take down on the road in Oil City. They then couldn’t get any momentum, only winning one set in the next four matches.

“If you talk to anybody who plays volleyball, momentum is a huge thing,” said head coach John Baldwin. “If you’ve got it, you never want to lose it and if you lose it you're just begging to try to buy it back as best you can.”

Baldwin was talking mostly about a match, but it applies to a season as well. Since then they’ve gone 4-3 with good battles against Mercer who they defeated 3-2 and Franklin they just fell short of defeating in five sets 24-26, 25-27, 27-25, 25-17 and 7-15.

That was some good volleyball with both teams seemingly cruising only to have the other team make a game of it.

The first set Titusville was down 9-2 and the 21-10 and battled back to tie it at 24 only to lose a couple points later.

The second set wasn’t dramatically different, nor was the third, but Titusville prevailed in the third. They then had momentum winning the fours set reletively easy and was cruising in the tie breaker when the wheels came off after they went out to a 5-1 lead.

Franklin got hot and took the much needed match for the Rockets.
“We needed this one to at least put a strong bid in for the playoffs,” Baldwin explained that his now 5-7 Rockets need to have a .500 or better record. “We’re probably going to come in just under it.”
They were scheduled to play Oil City again on Thursday after our deadline.

They end the season against Mercyhurst Prep who are currently 9-6.

Though the playoffs might be out of reach, Baldwin said he’s considering an appeal since they are coming on at the end of the season.

“We’re really peaking, you want to peak at the end of the season and they’re starting to do that,” he said looking at the strengths of this team as the season progressed.
“We don’t ever give up, the team is really strong, I’m proud of them,” Baldwin said.

“The girls have been really strong mentally, really focussed on playing well. Tonight again, they were mentally tough, but Franklin came up tough at the right time and pounded some balls down and they came together, that’s all there is to it.”

Baldwin has seen improvement all year with his squad. “Our outside hitter Chloe Miller is really coming on strong. She has gotten us out of a lot of tight spots. Kira Adkins also, she puts a hurting on the ball.”

Baldwin said his players have been serving well and that has resulted in several rallies the last few weeks.

“That has kept us out of a lot of trouble. I’m really proud of the girls, they’ve been really working on their serves and keeping it tough.”

The serving has allowed them to come back.

“I’d say, normally if you get down six or so points you’re done, but I saw tonight that wasn’t the case.”