NORTHAMPTON — The Smith Vocational volleyball team appeared in its first ever Western Mass. tournament on Tuesday night.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, their maiden voyage did not result in their first ever win.
Fifth-seeded Sabis notched a 3-0 sweep of No. 4 Smith Vocational in the quarterfinal round of the Western Mass. Class C Tournament.
Smith Vocational dropped to 12-7 on the season. Sabis advanced to play at No. 1 Frontier in the semifinal round on Thursday.
“It was the first time in program history making the tournament,” Smith Vocational head coach Nelson Lacey said. “I think there were a lot of nerves out there, and it got the best of us.”
The Vikings were unable to make up ground in any of the three sets, except for when they went on a 4-0 run in the middle frame.
Smith Vocational’s Kora Kelly served out four straight points with consistent arc and depth, but, as the Bulldogs settled in, they adjusted to the deep shot. Sabis finished out the second set with a score of 25-13. The second set was also the only time Smith had a lead in the match.
The Vikings struggled with serve placement on the night. They were taken down in the first set quickly by a 25-3 stunner, which created the momentum for the next two sets. In the third and final set, the Vikings managed to get six points to close out their inaugural tournament appearance.
Even though Smith Vocational came up short, Lacey said his team has a lot to be proud of. He’s confident they can regain their footing with big matches still upcoming.
“I know they’re pretty resilient. They’re going to bounce back,” Lacey said.
The Vikings will play in a consolation match Thursday before opening up the Division 5 state tournament next week.