Fairbanks’ Taylar Sphapmixay (left) sends the ball past Triad blockers Kelsey Cole (22) and Kendell Hughes (13). Also pictured is FHS’ Anna Higbee (5). The Lady Panthers won the match in three sets on Tuesday.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
“We got off to a slow start in the first game, but started to pick things up,” said Fairbanks varsity volleyball coach Ed Marsman.
Those comments came after Tuesday’s 25-19, 25-13, 25-18 victory over neighboring Triad.
On paper, the Lady Panthers should probably have rolled to a rather easy verdict.
FHS went into the game with a 3-1 record, while the Lady Cardinals had struggled at 1-3.
“Give Triad credit,” said Marsman. “They played good defense.”
“Our girls hung with Fairbanks,” said first-year Triad coach Brooke Welty. “I saw a lot of leadership and communication on the floor tonight.
“I really felt good about how we played.”
Triad held the upper hand for the early portion of the opening set.
An ace serve by Holly Alvoid gave the Cardinals an 8-5 lead.
Triad’s margin expanded to 10-7 on a kill by Kendell Hughes.
Fairbanks began a comeback and eventually overtook Triad by an 18-16 count after kills from Anna Higbee and Brianna Bosworth.
The Cardinals had some issues with passing and hitting the ball, which allowed Fairbanks (4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Ohio Heritage Conference) to take the first set.
FHS tallied the first six points of the ensuing game and was never seriously threatened.
A pair of kills from Emma Griffey gave Fairbanks a 14-4 lead that continued to grow.
Kaidie Carstensen’s blast over the net was too much for Triad to handle as the Panther margin expanded to 20-8.
FHS was called for a pair of errant serve receptions, but that didn’t stop the home squad in its quest for a 2-0 set lead.
Carstensen’s ace serve gave Fairbanks a 3-1 lead early in the final set.
Taylar Sphapmixay put down a kill that later gave the Lady Panthers a 13-6 margin.
Triad, however, took advantage of a number of FHS mistakes to cut into the spread.
Sidney Louck’s ace serve later pulled the Lady Cardinals to within 21-16.
An errant hit by Fairbanks narrowed Triad’s deficit to 22-18.
Sphapmixay set a big kill for Carstensen that gave FHS a five-point spread at 23-18.
A pair of Triad hitting errors tallied two more Panther points and finished the match with the three-game sweep.
Lady Panther stats were as follows:
-Carstensen: seven kills, nine points, two blocks;
-Sphapmixay: nine points, 12 assists;
-Cassie Lamb: 12 points, 17-of-17 serving, 16 assists;
-Lizzie Nicol: 77 sets, three kills;
-Jayda Rausch: five kills, 17 attacks;
-Bosworth: five-of-six attacks, three kills;
-Griffey: seven kills, two blocks;
-Higbee: 14-of-14 serving, 10 kills;
-Olivia Vollrath, 15-of-15 passing.
Triad stats were as follows:
-Louck: 11 points, eight digs;
-Kelsey Cole: nine points, four assists;
-Jordyn Unger, nine pints, 30 assists;
-Hughes: six kills, five blocks, nine points;
-Gracie Sheets: 14 digs;
-Bailey Perry: 10 assists;
-Alvoid: 48 assists, 14 digs;
-Emma Dorn: three blocks.