Jefferson Community College was looking to regain the composure, intensity and communication it had lost in the fifth game of what looked early to be a volleyball romp in the Cannoneers' game against visiting Broome CC during senior night Tuesday.
Jordan Thomas, the only senior on the team, again provided JCC with the calming influence it required and helped make sure that her night wouldn't be ruined with a loss to a team that had won only five games heading into the Mid-State Athletic Conference match.
Jefferson CC won, 25-17, 25-16, 24-26, 21-25 and 15-10.
"She called it 'Jordan Night,'" Cannoneers coach Eo Mathison said. "She's been talking about that for I don't know how long."
Thomas began the night being honored by her team, and was joined on the court during a pregame ceremony by her family, mother, Melanie Rarick, father Pete Thomas and step-mother Kelly Thomas, along with sisters Emily and Gabby Rarick and Bree Thomas.
Thomas wasn't nervous or embarrassed to have all of the fuss made over her during the pregame ceremonies, and finished with nine kills, 20 assists, 17 digs and a pair of aces.
"I think it's pretty amazing," Thomas said of her night, "because we won."
The win — which seemed like a sure thing after the Cannoneers (9-6, 3-1) jumped to a seven point lead in the third game while already leading two games to none — was put in jeopardy by the hard-serving of the Hornets (2-6, 1-3) and the Cannoneers' general complacency.
"They just kind of got a little ahead of themselves, anxious," Mathison said. "The whole night we heard, 'Let's get out of here quick.'"
But JCC wasn't going anywhere any time soon as it dropped the third game 24-26 after Broome CC went on a 7-0 run, led by outside hitter Rachel Brennan, to close out the game.
"It's a little bit of a milestone tonight," Hornets coach Kishan Zuber said. "We've seen sparks of it here and there, but not quite like this."
The Cannoneers seemed shocked that they had lost, and Broome CC kept cruising, and forced a fifth game.
"I think we got ahead of ourselves," Jefferson CC's Abigail Miller said. "We stopped moving and talking."
In the fifth game Jefferson CC had recorded the first point, rolling to a 5-2 lead before Broome climbed back to tie the game at eight. Katherine Freeman, the Cannoneers' middle hitter who is rarely called on to serve, kept the team in the game with three solid blasts over the net — including one that went untouched.
"We needed it," Mathison said. "I don't think she served at all in high school, so it's really important for her to get that."
Freeman finished with six kills and six blocks to go with an ace.
As the match-point was recorded the team chanted Thomas's name, thankful that they were able to make her solo senior night a hair-raising but ultimately pleasurable evening.
"She is probably the biggest asset to the team," Miller said. "She is real composed, she's always high-spirited."
ST. LAWRENCE 3, POTSDAM 2
The Saints needed a fifth set to finally defeat SUNY Potsdam in a nonconference match in Canton.
St. Lawrence won 25-20, 13-25, 25-17, 25-25 and 15-13. Jessica Lucky and Nyasha Miller each had 11 kills to lead the Saints (13-5).
The Bears (10-7) had been on a two-game winning streak before playing St. Lawrence.
ITHACA 3, CLARKSON 0
The Bombers prevailed in three games to defeat the Golden Knights in a nonconference match in Ithaca.
Ithaca won 25-17, 25-22 and 25-23. Jen Heberton had 16 kills to lead the Bombers.
MaKenzie Cook supplied eight kills for Clarkson (9-9).
WOMEN'S SOCCER
JEFFERSON CC 7, NORTH COUNTRY CC 2
The Cannoneers survived an early scare and tallied the final seven goals of the game to claim a nonconference matchup from the Saints in Saranac Lake.
Emily Nellis and Blair Kiernan provide two goals apiece to pace JCC (7-2-1), which entered the game ranked fifth in Region 3. Brittany Trahan supplied a goal and an assist, and Elysa Doldo chipped in two assists.
Edwards-Knox product Miranda Typhair and Cassandra Barden each scored in the eighth minute to give North Country CC (1-9) the early lead.