By STEVE SINISKI
But the Hawks turned a snowflake into an avalanche and not only rebounded to win the third set, 25-18, but the fourth and fifth as well (25-21, 25-20).
"Midway through the third set they took quite a few points in a row," Baldwin coach Janine Heilbronn said. "It gave them confidence and put us on our heels.
"Plainview JFK is a defensively strong team and on offense tends to find the open spots. We had a little trouble picking up their tips. They started blocking more and we lost a lot of our momentum. The first time we played them this year [Sept. 23] we lost in three sets."
In defeat, the Bruins were led by their two senior captains, Liz Hill and Ashley Laird, who saved some of their best moments for last. The two each tallied a team-high 11 kills, with Laird also netting 18 digs.
"Our team at the end of the year was very different from the one that we started with 10 weeks ago," Heilbronn said. "The girls learned a lot about team play and got stronger and smarter. They also learned a lot about placement. A lot of our sophomores and juniors are already looking forward to next year."
Indeed, youth reigned supreme on the court for the Bruins, and the team's run to the playoffs will only help get Baldwin's younger players a taste of what may be ahead in the not-too-distant future. "We had a few girls come in and really take strides," Heilbronn said. "And it all starts with our junior varsity program with Danielle Altman. We're starting to see that a lot now [girls coming up to varsity ready to play]."
This year, a pair of sophomores and juniors lined up with seniors Hill and Laird. Junior Natalie Hamilton, moved from her natural offsetter position to the right side, will return to her more comfortable side of the floor next year. She averaged nearly three kills per game (108 overall) to lead Baldwin, while Laird topped the team in kill percentage (20 percent) and netted 75 total despite missing 20 games with an injury.
"Natalie [Hamilton] had a huge impact for us," Heilbronn said. "She's really taken strides and developed a court sense. She's one of our smartest players and took practice situations and applied them in game situations."
Also returning for the Bruins will be juniors Eleni Menoutis and Courtney Rauch, who both play on an off-season club team with Hamilton. Menoutis lines up in the middle, while Rauch was used as a defensive specialist and often filled in on the back row for Hill. Both of their roles will expand after a strong showing this year.
