Lake Placid’s Ireland Cassidy, left, gets ready to play the ball during an away match against Saranac Lake on Oct. 29. Also pictured is Lake Placid’s Fiona Sullivan. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

SARANAC LAKE — With the playoffs set for this week, the Saranac Lake volleyball team closed out its final home game with a 3-2 victory over Lake Placid on Wednesday, Oct. 29. However, unlike the last time the two squads faced off, this match was much more competitive.

Having lost in three sets to their rivals earlier this year, the Blue Bombers entered their rivals’ home court on fire, claiming a 25-13 opening set victory. The host Red Storm then responded with back-to-back set victories — by scores of 25-9 and 25-17 — before Lake Placid rallied with a 25-19 win to force a fifth set.

While Saranac Lake narrowly won 15-7 in the final frame to win the match, Blue Bombers head coach Makenzie Patinella was proud of how her team battled.

“They really all played together as a team that had great energy throughout, and they all looked like they were happy to be out there,” she said. “I’m proud of how they played, especially since last time. We only went to three sets, and we didn’t take a single game away from them and taking two sets away from them really feels good this time.”

The win was the 12th for the Red Storm, who improved to 12-5 overall to close out the regular season. Meanwhile, the Blue Bombers drop to 4-13, with three of those wins coming in their final eight matches of the season. Patinella said there’s been a different vibe and energy from her team out on the court.

Lake Placid’s Brooke Meyer makes a play on the ball during an away match against Saranac Lake on Oct. 29. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

“They had a really great practice yesterday and decided to roll that in over today,” she said. “They’re also looking forward to sectional, so maybe that has something to do with it.”

Wednesday’s match was the final time Saranac Lake will host a match on their home court, and Red Storm head coach Megan Czadzeck said with it being senior night, the lineup was a little different than normal.

“I wanted to get all of the seniors in for the first set, and I wanted to try to get everybody in for our last home game,” she said. “I was trying to move (the rotation) around a little bit.”

Gracen Foster, one of three Saranac Lake seniors, paced the way from the service line with eight aces. She also had 11 points while chipping in with 17 digs and eight kills. Junior Rori Chenaille-Schenk led the team defensively with 30 digs, while adding 12 points and three aces.

After Lake Placid forced a fifth set, Chenaille-Schenk had dug the Red Storm out of a hole early in the final set, serving up seven straight points to reverse momentum.

“They like to push it when they’re flat, they talk to each other and they start to give each other some energy,” Czadzeck said. “Especially when Rory is in the back there as the libero. She’s playing really hard, and she gets tired and they’re pushing her.”

Sophia McBride, also a senior, recorded a double-double for Saranac Lake with 10 digs and 10 points. McBride also had six kills and four aces. Lexie Donaldson was solid defensively with 17 digs.

Ellie Shipman had a big night for the Blue Bombers, recording 17 digs, 13 assists, eight points, five kills and two aces. Senior Brooke Meyer added seven digs, seven kills, four points and two aces.

Ireland Cassidy also had a standout performance for Lake Placid, recording 12 digs, six kills, three aces, two assists and two points. Fiona Sullivan chipped in with 10 digs.

Individual statistics

SL — Lyndsee Reardon 4 assists, 1 dig; Sophie Czadzeck 5 points, 2 aces, 4 kills, 25 assists, 9 digs, 1 block; Mackenzie Crane 3 kills, 3 blocks; Rori Chenaille-Schenk 12 points, 3 aces, 30 digs; Melody Costigan 1 dig; Lexie Donaldson 6 points, 2 aces, 8 kills, 17 digs; Sophia McBride 10 points, 4 aces, 6 kills, 10 digs; Gracen Foster 11 points, 8 aces, 8 kills, 17 digs; Addy Foster 3 points, 1 ace, 1 kill, 4 digs; Kasey Clark 5 kills.

LP — Brooke Meyer: 4 points, 2 aces, 7 kills, 7 digs; Ellie Shipman 8 points, 2 aces, 5 kills, 13 assists, 17 digs; Fiona Sullivan 5 points, 1 ace, 1 kill, 10 digs; Ireland Cassidy 2 points, 3 aces, 6 kills, 2 assists, 12 digs; Adiss Livesey-Ferry 5 points, 1 kill, 1 assist, 4 digs; Sophie Spanburgh 2 digs.