Click the AUDIO button to hear RRN's interview with Norse Coach Dan Porath.
GRAND RAPIDS---The Bay College Norse women's volleyball team had its season come to an end over the weekend at the NJCAA Region 12 District tournament in Grand Rapids. The Norse, competing in this event for the first time in program history, won two matches in the multi-day event, and the two matches they lost were in overtime.
“For the girls, it started off early, and they formed a great bond,” Norse Coach Dan Porath said. “It showed on the court every time that they played. They played hard for each other. I really loved the way that this team competed. Today (Friday) was no different. We lost a tight five-setter. They were fighting right to the end.”
The tournament began on Thursday with a first-round match against Marian University-Plymouth (Indiana). The Norse won that match, 3-1, by scores of 25-19, 25-19, 19-25, and 25-17. That moved Bay into the second round, where the girls faced Oakland Community College from suburban Detroit.
That match was a marathon. And it was back-and-forth.
Oakland on the first set, 25-21, but the Norse won the next set, 25-19. The Owls dominated the third set, 25-16, with a chance to put it away in the fourth set. But Bay dug deep again, winning the fourth set, 25-22, to force a winner-take-all fifth set. In that fifth set, the Norse fell behind early, but kept battling back, eventually losing, 15-12.
That sent the Norse into the loser's bracket on Friday, with a match-up against the Terra State Titans out of Ohio. The Norse made quick work of the Titans in that elimination match to keep their season alive, winning in a 3-0 sweep by scores of 25-19, 25-19, and 27-25.
After a quick bite to eat, the team got ready for another elimination match against Southwestern Michigan. The Norse got the early jump with a grueling 25-23 win in the first set. The Road Runners, though, dominated the second set, 25-13, to win the second set. From there, it was a marathon to determine who would survive for another day.
The third, fourth, and fifth sets all went to overtime. The Road Runners won the fourth set, 26-24, putting the Norse season on the brink. Bay dug deep again, and won a stressful fourth set, 29-27. In the fifth set, the Norse were close to victory, but Southwestern Michigan pulled through, 18-16, to end Bay College's season.
“We played really well,” Porath said. “When you come to these tournaments, and you play your best, play your hardest, leave it all out there, it's a lot easier to end the season that way. Nobody likes to lose their last game, but only one team can be satisfied at the end of the year.”
That team, in this case, will be Grand Rapids Community College, which followed up the MCCAA state championship it won over the Norse last Sunday in Escanaba with the regional championship this weekend on their home court.
But for Bay, this was a breakthrough season. The Norse won the MCCAA North Conference championship for the first time in program history. They had the best overall record in school history (19 wins, 11 losses). The girls played at the big regional tournament for the first time ever, and won a match there for the first time.
“We're pretty happy with how our season went,” Porath said. “A lot of firsts for us. I think we definitely opened some eyes to the teams down here. We had a good showing for Bay College Volleyball.”
