It goes down in the books as a loss, but the Newburgh Free Academy Goldbacks gave the defending Section 9 champion Pine Bush Bushmen all they could handle, and then some.

The Goldbacks handed the Bushmen their first loss in a set since September 13, winning the fourth set in a 3-1 loss on Friday at Newburgh Free Academy.

After dropping the first two sets, 18-25, 21-25, the Goldbacks rallied to beat the Bushmen, 25-22, to win the third set and force the fourth.

However, the Bushmen defeated the Goldbacks, 25-12, to win the match.

The Goldbacks fell to 2-9, as Isabella Martinez and Megan Evans each had five digs. Leila Hamdoun had four digs, while McKayla Rafferty had three digs and six kills. Evans had 13 assists and Martinez had five. Hamdoun had four assists.

The Goldbacks have a 1-5 record in the OCIAA Division I. The Goldbacks opened the week with a win over the Middletown Middies before losing to Kingston, 3-2, on Wednesday.

The Goldbacks will visit Middletown on Thursday.