The Whitehall girls volleyball team had a memorable Senior Night on Tuesday as they knocked off Cement Belt rival Northampton for the first time in several years 25-27, 25-21, 25-17, 25-18.

The Zephyrs cruised out of the gate, amassing a 21-15 lead. The K-Kids responded by winning 8 of next 10 points to draw even at 23. The teams exchanged points until an ace by Claire Luckebach and a kill by Maddy Taff completed the comeback for Northampton.

It looked like the Kids would sustain the momentum from the first set as the jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the second, prompting an early Whitehall timeout. The Zephs gradually clawed back into the set, eventually tying the score at 18 before the Kids went back on top 20-18.

From there it was all Whitehall as the Zephyrs took 7 of the final 8 points to even the match at a set apiece.

Whitehall head coach Cristal Fernandez gave senior hitter Lila Pinkey credit for spurring the turnaround, “She came hungry and ready to play and it was good as a coach staff to have a player take the reins and say, ‘It’s not up to coach. It’s up to us.’ And so she really took off in the team huddles and then let her game speak for itself. She was putting balls away left and right, getting blocks.”

Three aces from Jada Colon early in the third frame set the stage for the Zephs to take control of the match. They led 9-5 after her service and the K-Kids were never able to draw even.

The final set was dead even at 12 until Whitehall reeled off 7 points in a row on Chloe Rute’s serve to build a lead they would never relinquish.

For Northampton’s part, they were shorthanded due to a rash of injuries that sidelined 4 players including key starters Averie Morgan and Grace Doward.

Kids’ head coach Helene Quaintance conceded, “We were just trying to find a lineup that would work for us in the moment. There have been better days, but Whitehall definitely wanted it today and they played very, very well.”

Zephyrs 25-25-25-25

K-Kids 27-21-17-18

Kills – W: LaSereon James 13, Lila Pinkey 7, Corynn Troxell 7, Jada Colon 5, Ty’Veih Wilson 5, McKenna Reichenbach 2; N: Maddy Taff 15, Claire Luckenbach 10, Mila Zabienski 3, Bri Hlinka 2, Cyd Chilson 2

Digs – W: Ashlyn Felker 17, James 13, Reichenbach 9, Troxell 9, Chloe Rute 9, Yara Atiyeh 3, Dalia Hannah 2; N: Chilson 19, Wolfel 16, Julia Arbishites 13, Taff 8, Luckenbach 4, Lily Vitushisky 3

Assists – W: Reichenbach 27, Atiyeh 9; N: Chilson 26

Blocks – W: Pinkey 6, Troxell 2

Records: Whitehall 7-10 overall, 7-7 EPC; Northampton 5-10 overall, 4-10 EPC