Baldwin volleyball, full of seniors, in new area looking to add to state history

Published 11:00 pm Friday, September 13, 2024

Last October, Baldwin High volleyball scored a landmark win in the program’s history winning in the opening round of the GHSA playoffs.

The opposition on that day, Luella High, returned to Milledgeville Thursday, this time for a best-of-3 match and for a match that could decide who gets into this season’s state field. That’s because Baldwin and Luella were placed in the same Class AAA area, so they will face off twice this fall, the next one coming on Oct. 3 in Henry County.

As for Thursday’s action, the match went three sets with the Bravettes – overcoming an injury during the course of play – coming out on top 2-1. That came after two area victories on Tuesday versus Peach County High and Howard High in Ft. Valley.

This is going to be an emotional season for coach Yuri Haynes, whose roster includes nine seniors who have been in her program since their eighth-grade year. The Bravettes ended Thursday with a 7-3 overall mark.

“We lost to Stratford and Warner Robins,” she said. “We’ve been pretty strong so far. Area play is going on, so of course the competition gets stiff.

“It’s hard for me to get it out. I have nine seniors. They are a very special group. They have developed and improved each year. They have been coming together every year and stepping it up. As they got older, they realized what I’ve been trying to put in place for them. Our hard work is playing off.”

Against Luella, Baldwin cruised through the first set to win 25-15. The second set was tight but marred by the ankle injury suffered by front line hitter Kya Levester. Luella won 25-23 to force the third and deciding set, where the winner was the first to 15 points.

(Baldwin defeated the Lions in a best-of-5 match in the 2023 state playoffs).

Baldwin got to those 15 points when Luella only had 10.

In the first set Thursday, Luella led 11-10 when Jaeda Grant took the serve for the Bravettes. When she was done, the home team was head for good 15-11. Aniyah Harden scored a kill inside the sideline for an 18-12 lead, and then Janaye Walker went on serve. Baldwin was leading 23-15 when Walker got a point from a block and Grant scored with a two-fisted hit.

Haynes said the team had its struggles during the match, maybe from being in familiar surroundings and having too much energy. Baldwin got off to a good start in the second set with two Walker two-handed kills, Grant’s and Walker’s service aces, and Walker and fellow basketball forward Kassidy Neal working together on a block. The early lead went as much as five, 8-3, but then it was 11-8 when Levester went down and did not play again.

Luella went on run of seven points in a row, a run Jordan Brown ended with a two-fister. There were a lot of errors, though from the Bravettes, then the Lions had a set kill and a block to lead 15-12. Walker spent most of that time on the bench, then returned to play and immediately scored with both hands twice to tie things up.

Baldwin could never get back ahead, though, even as Harden hit a tying kill in the middle (19-19). Down 23-19, Baldwin rallied for another tied score with Madisyn Herman serving an ace. Luella would win on an ace to level the match.

Brown took part in three points with two assists going to Neal to put Baldwin in front for the third set. With Walker’s kill, Baldwin led 9-6 and Luella took time out. That led to a 4-0 run for the Lions, but then the next six rallies and the match belonged to the Bravettes. That included a block from Walker and Harden plus a finishing kill in the middle from Walker.

The day ended with West Laurens topping Baldwin in a 2-0 sweep. The next volleyball action for the Bravettes is this coming Thursday at Mary Persons High in Forsyth. There, they will play the Bulldogs and, for the second time, Peach County.

“We are all gunning for that area championship,” said Haynes, who explained that it will be based on the regular-season standings and not a tournament.