HOLLAND – After a trip to the state finals last year, the Holland Christian boys volleyball team wanted to make a statement in the first year as an MHSAA-sponsored sport.
The Maroons won their playoff opener, then faced an uphill battle, with two teams looming that swept them during the season.
Holland Christian turned the tables on Unity Christian with a 3-0 sweep in the regional semifinals, then faced South Christian with a regional title on the line.
Once again, the Maroons rose to the occasion, pushing the Sailors to five sets before falling 25-21, 29-25, 25-22, 12-25, 15-12 in a thriller.
“It is a tough way to end, but it was a great match,” Holland Christian’s Jacob Tinholt said. “We never took a set from them in three matches earlier. It was our energy that was the difference. We came out ready and wanted it so bad.
“(Matches like this) help grow the sport.”
In the fifth, the teams traded points throughout the set. The Sailors led 13-10 before the Maroons rallied within 13-12 before the Sailors closed out the set.
“It comes down to the little stuff, staying locked in every point. South Christian has good players and is a scrappy team,” Holland Christian coach Mackenzie Benham said. “Going five sets says a lot about both teams. We were both up and down each set and we fought until the end. I am really proud of my team.”
The teams traded runs early in the first set, but the Maroons rallied within a point multiple times and were within 23-21 before the Sailors finished the set 25-21.
In the second set, the Maroons bounced back with an early lead and kept a small cushion, leading 22-17. A kill from Tinholt and one from Kyler Young clinched a 25-19 set win for Holland Christian.
The Maroons raced out to a big early lead again in the third, but the Sailors slowly chipped away and tied it 20-20 on a kill by Jack Borisch. Mark Kuipers put down a huge block to give the Sailors their first lead of the set at 21-20. Kuipers put down two kills down the line from the right side and Carson Joldersma tipped a kill on set point for the 25-22 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Maroons didn’t let that momentum swing affect them, building a 17-7 lead in the third and maintained it at 20-10 with a kill from Levi Klamer. Young served an ace and Holland Christian forced a fifth set with a kill from Tinholt to clinch the 25-12 set.
The Sailors advance to the state quarterfinals against St. Joseph, which defeated Gull Lake 3-1.
“Holland Christian is playing top-notch right now. We worked together and pulled it out,” South Christian coach Mya Udell said. “They utilized options. (Tinholt) is a great player and controlled the game. They were one unit. This just shows people how awesome men’s volleyball is.”
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland Christian boys volleyball edged in five-set thriller in regional final
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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