The Wallkill volleyball team was leading by a set and losing their lead in the second when a thunderstorm knocked out the power in the Vinnie DeAngelis Gymnasium.

“That was a little scary,” senior Genevieve Pollock said. “That’s never happened to me before.”

But after that, the Panthers widened their lead again, took the second set, and then had to rally from a three-point deficit in the third set to beat the FDR Presidents, 3-0, on Thursday night at Wallkill High School in the Mid Hudson Athletic League opener for both teams.

The Panthers broke the 20-20 tie in the third set on a service error by the Presidents, sending Kaylee DeGroat to the service line.

“It was a close game but we’re all figuring it out,” Pollock said. “We’re all new to this and we’re trying to figure out our own little groove. We’re getting there.”

Once they broke that tie, the Panthers clamped down and didn’t let the Presidents get another point. After a hitting error gave them a two-point lead, DeGroat hit an ace and Pollock followed with two kills to end the match.

“I felt like we played strong at the end of the set,” Wallkill coach Julie Michella said. “We’ve been talking about that. We can’t play safe at the end of a set. We have to stay aggressive, and they responded.”

The brief power dip had the potential to throw the Panthers off track, as it interrupted the flow of play in the second set, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

“I think it actually help us a little bit and lightened the mood,” Pollock said. “It made it so it wasn’t so serious. Everyone was laughing. We were talking to FDR and laughing about it.”

Pollock led the Panthers’ hitting attack with nine kills and dug out 13 digs. DeGroat had seven kills, four digs and one ace. Daniella Aluisio had 18 digs and Madison Stauss had two kills, 21 assists and 17 digs.

The Panthers won the match, 25-16, 25-17, 25-20. It was their second win of the season, having beaten Monroe-Woodbury earlier in the week.

“We’re learning that we need to communicate more and just work together as a whole,” Pollock said. “This is a whole new starting lineup.”

It’s a lineup that no longer features graduated seniors setter Grace Mesuch, right side hitter Regan Moeykens, outside hitter Katelyn Jordy and libero Hannah Stewart. The lineup features returners in Pollock, an outside hitter, and Stauss, a setter. Araceli Ospina (middle hitter) and Aluisio (outside hitter) also return.

Senior outside hitter Kaylee DeGroat is listed as a newcomer as is middle hitter Olivia Yankanin.

“I feel like things are coming together nicely,” Michella said. “We went to the Millbrook tournament on Saturday, and we saw some good competition. We had a long day of playing to get used to playing with each other and figuring that all out. I feel like every day we’re getting better as we go, and I have good confidence in this team. We have a lot of good senior leadership.”