By Jordan J. Michael

VOORHEESVILLE –– The Lady Bird basketball team went from being on the right end of a blowout to being on the wrong end of a close game.

Voorheesville had Senior Night at home on Friday and stomped all over Ravena, 69-33. The team followed that up with a tight 43-to-39 loss at Watervliet on Tuesday night.

Sometimes you shoot well and other times you don’t,” said Head Coach Bob Baron on Wednesday. “We started real fast and pushed the ball extremely well on Friday. On Tuesday, we couldn’t get the shots to fall through.”

Seniors Casey Becerra, Jacqueline Daly, Kelly Glath, Sarah Goss, and Sarah Schenmeyer all started the game for the Lady Birds on Friday.

“Ravena is having a rough season and we eliminated any possibility of a surprise very quickly,” Baron said. “We carried the first quarter and it was a good night for everyone.”

Goss had 19 points and Elizabeth Madden scored 18. Glath added another 12 points for Voorheesville. “Glath, Goss, and Beccerra have a lot of leadership value on this team,” said Baron. “They’ve worked with the younger girls and they will leave a legacy here.”

The Lady Birds beat Watervliet by seven points in the first meeting of the season at Voorheesville. The second meeting in Watervliet on Tuesday had a different outcome.

“It was a very physical game and we missed some key shots, including some early free-throws,” Baron said. “We had a slight lead in the fourth but we let it slip away. Ultimately, it was the missed baskets.”

The Lady Birds have a scoring average in the 50s, but only scored 39 points in the game. Madden finished with 14 points and Goss had eight points. “We had about six wide-open threes. It was a tough game to watch,” said Baron.

The team is 13-4 in the Colonial Council, good for a tie with Lansingburgh for second place in the league. Voorheesville needs a win against Schalmont on Friday and a Langsingburgh loss to grab sole possession of second place. Undefeated Holy Names is in first.

The Lady Birds are hoping for a top seed in the Class CC sectionals. “We might be able to get two post-season games at home,” Baron said.

“I understand that this program has come a long way from last year and second place is a good place to be,” said the first-year coach. “But when your record rises, your expectations rise with it. We’re true believers this year.”