FRUITPORT – Thursday night was about more than just the latest volleyball match for the Fruitport Trojans.
Before taking the court for one of their biggest battles of the season, the Trojans honored longtime head coach Nicole Bayle, whose 22 years with the program helped turn Fruitport into a state powerhouse.
She retired following last season.
But after the ceremony the Trojans, many of whom played for Bayle last year, went out and did something she most certainly loved.
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They overcame an early deficit to beat NorthPointe Christian in an O-K Silver conference showdown. The set scores were 24-26, 25-21, 25-18 and 25-12.
Both teams entered the match with identical 5-0 conference records, so the Trojans went home on top of the standings.
“This definitely helps with momentum, because we dropped the first set very, very close, and we were able to come back just as strong and kind of prove a point,” said first-year Fruitport head coach Samantha Fehler, who once played for Bayle herself.
The Trojans looked ready to dominate early, jumping to a 7-1 lead in the opening set on a kill and a block from senior Izzy Hanson-Wilbur.
Fruitport eventually extended its advantage to 22-18 before NorthPointe Christian mounted a furious comeback.
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The Mustangs scored five consecutive points to tie the set at 23, then took a 24-23 lead following a Fruitport mistake. The teams continued trading points before NorthPointe Christian sealed the 26-24 victory with a service ace.
Despite the disappointing finish, Fruitport responded in the second set.
The Trojans took an 11-7 lead after a block from Josalynn Nowicki, and later extended it to 18-12, forcing NorthPointe Christian to call a time out.
Hanson-Wilbur served an ace to make it 20-14, but the Mustangs refused to go away, cutting the deficit to 20-17.
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Fruitport held its composure down the stretch, however, and secured a 25-21 win to even the match at one set apiece.
The third set started competitively, with NorthPointe Christian building a 12-9 lead before Fruitport fought back to tie it at 12.
After the teams traded points, the Trojans began taking control.
Fruitport turned a narrow 16-15 lead into a 21-15 advantage, highlighted by a kill from Nowicki. Sophomore Regan Wilson followed with two important kills late in the set, helping the Trojans pull away for a 25-18 victory.
With momentum firmly on its side, Fruitport saved its most dominant performance for the fourth set.
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The Trojans jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, highlighted by a kill from senior Emma Fecher, before NorthPointe Christian trimmed the deficit to 8-7.
Fruitport quickly regained control, extending its advantage to 16-10 and eventually 18-11 following another service ace from Hanson-Wilbur.
The Trojans then closed the match with a commanding run, including a block from Nowicki that pushed the score to 24-12, before securing the 25-12 victory.
The Trojans were led offensively by Hanson-Wilbur with 15 kills while Addison Bordeaux had eight and Fecher had seven. Fecher had 17 assists and Alexa Sweet dished out 15.
Fruitport was paced defensively by Wilson with 25 digs, while Porter Johnson added 23 and Hanson-Wilbur had 21.
“We had a hard time finishing tonight until the last two sets,” Fehler said. “Then they found their will to win, and honestly, we played our butts off. We outworked them, and we didn’t let a single ball drop without our effort.”
The Trojans were thrilled to get the big wins in front of Coach Bayle, who began her career at Fruitport as a varsity assistant, later coached the junior varsity team, and eventually led the varsity program for 19 seasons.
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[10]During her remarkable career, Bayle collected 599 victories, 11 district championships, six regional titles and two MHSAA state championships.
The school recognized her accomplishments before the match, and she received a standing ovation from the crowd.
That meant a lot to Coach Fehler.
“She doesn’t only have a lot of success statistically, but she has helped me grow as a person,” Fehler said. “I wouldn’t be half the person I am today without her.”
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