Norwich — Ledyard High School fell behind a game twice during Thursday's CIAC Class L semifinal volleyball match against unbeaten defending champion RHAM.

And still, the Colonels fought on.

Ledyard fell behind 7-0 in the fourth game.

And still, the Colonels fought on.

Madison Canestrari, Ledyard's 6-foot-3 middle hitter, was forced to leave for a brief time early in the decisive fifth game with a leg cramp.

And still, the Colonels fought on.

Ledyard fell to the Sachems 25-21, 27-29, 25-18, 19-25, 15-12, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.

No one wants to hear about moral victories after losing a state tournament game, but the Colonels gave RHAM its biggest challenge of the sesaon at Norwich Free Academy.

It was just the fourth time this season that the Sachems (25-0) didn't sweep an opponent.

The third-seeded Colonels (23-1) were the first team to take No. 2 RHAM to a fifth game.

"They went out on their shields," Colonels coach Rich Duwelius said. "They did. They certainly went down fighting right until the end."

Senior Michelle Klinikowski was outstanding in her final match for Ledyard. The Boston College-bound outside hitter had a match-high 37 kills to go along with four aces and two blocks.

"I think we made a couple of little errors," Klinikowski said. "I know I made a lot of errors on free balls, but I think that overall we played so great.

"We can't look back and be like, 'Darn, we should have done this instead,' because I think everybody on the court played their heart out."

Senior Jenny Nohara had 46 assists and classmate Canestrari added 16 kills and two blocks for Ledyard. Senior Mariah Abstetar was her usual spectacular self defensively in the back row, too.

"She's always great," Klinikowski said. "She (digs) balls up that I don't think are possible. I'm so glad she was on our team. I don't know what it's going to be like playing without her next year."

Ledyard made six unforced errors to start Game 4 and fell behind, 7-0. It fought back and stunned the Sachems to force a fifth game.

It looked bad for the Colonels early in that decisive game when Canestrari went down in pain from a leg cramp. She missed one point as a trainer stretched her leg out on the sidelines, and she came back to finish the match.

"Okay, 'what are we going to do now?'" Klinikowski said. "I was so worried, but she did incredible tonight."

The fifth game was tied at 12 when Klinikowski crushed a ball.

Ordinarily, anything Klinikowski hits ends up smacking off the floor.

Somehow, someway, RHAM senior Megan Heline made a remarkable dig and got the ball to setter McKenzie Maneggia (52 assists).

Maneggia set Angelica Czercowy up for a kill to give her team the lead.

"I remember thinking, 'I'm not going to let this ball hit the floor,'" said Heline (18 kills) said. "I don't know (how I dug it up). ... I just laid out for it."

Ledyard was whistled for an error for match point before Czercowy finished the match with her 16th kill.

"They played as well as we've played this year, and we needed to in order to go five games with RHAM," Duwelius said of his team. "They were outstanding."

n.griffen@theday.com @MetalNED

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