The first set was all Dunkirk, as they scored the first 11 points of the game, giving Dunkirk a commanding lead. Brocton/Westfield was unable to respond early to Dunkirk’s energy, struggling to string together consecutive points. Brocton/Westfield did not capture the momentum at all.

“They came out with a lot of energy, probably after the Senior Night ceremonies. We weren’t able to match that, the first game was pretty disappointing,” said Brocton/Westfield coach Andy Deakin.

In the second set, Brocton/Westfield gathered its composure and did not allow Dunkirk to jump out to an early lead. The second set was more back and forth than the first, with both teams making their share of good plays along with untimely errors. However, the Marauders did manage to jump out in front as the score entered the teens. Once Dunkirk took a commanding lead, they did not look back, maintaining the pace of the game all the way to their victory.

“In the second game, we came out with a little bit more, played a little bit better, but we were not able to sustain it,” said Coach Deakin.

OBSERVER Photo by Ron Szot Dunkirk’s Jessica Beehler sets the ball for a teammate during Tuesday’s match against Brocton/Westfield in Dunkirk.

The third set was by far the best set for Brocton/Westfield. In the face of defeat, they did not give up. Knowing that a comeback would be difficult, the Bulldogs showed everyone their heart, competing until the last point was scored. Unlike the previous two sets, the Bulldogs took the lead first. The Bulldogs did a much better job of minimizing their errors and finishing plays.

However, the Marauders did not disappear and once the Bulldogs started to slip, again they capitalized and took their lead for the rest of the evening. Brocton/Westfield battled all the way to the end, but eventually lost 25-21.

“Brocton/Westfield has improved since the last time we have played them, their girls have worked tremendously. You can see it in the way that they played, they definitely don’t give up,” said Dunkirk coach Kodie Hoyt.

Dunkirk was led by Jordan Francis with five aces and three hits, Amari Carter with seven hits and Jessica Beehler with five assists. The Marauders improved to 4-9 in the league and 6-13 overall.

“The girls were going to have a lot of emotion tonight. But they actually stepped up and played past their emotion and played a pretty good game,” said Coach Hoyt.

Brocton/Westfield was led by Sophia Demarco with four kills, two blocks and two aces; and Abbi Warner with two kills and two digs. The Bulldogs record fell to 0-11 overall.

“We have been struggling with inconsistency all year long, we’ve shown flashes against some of the better teams in the league. We need to cut down on unforced errors, we have too many unforced errors. When our girls get some energy going they’re capable of playing very well,” said Coach Deakin.