Marysville’s Natalie McNicholas (9) sends the ball back over the net. The Lady Monarchs fell to Olentangy Berlin in four sets on Tuesday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
Although her team fell in four sets to Olentangy Berlin, Marysville volleyball coach Bethany Bentz wasn’t entirely unhappy.
The Lady Monarchs (7-4) dropped a 13-25, 25-19, 24-26, 12-25 verdict to the Bears on Tuesday.
“We showed tonight we can compete with the No. 4 team (Berlin) in the district,” said Bentz.
“I think we’ve got a very good team… we’re competing with these teams and now, we just have to take it to the next level.”
The Lady Monarchs (who will host Reynoldsburg on Thursday) had a difficult time covering the floor from a defensive standpoint during the opening set.
A number of Berlin blasts over the net went for kills.
As such, MHS wasn’t really in that game.
Things changed during the ensuing sets.
Marysville began to do a better job of defending against Olentangy Berlin’s hot rockets across the net.
“We made some defensive adjustments to begin the second set,” said Bentz. “In doing so, we were able to cover a lot of their hits and they weren’t sure what to do.”
Berlin jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead during the second game.
The visitors maintained their upper hand over the next several minutes.
Unlike the opening set, the Lady Monarchs were able to respond.
The Bears held leads of three and four points until MHS began to rally.
A kill from Rylee Dundon of Marysville tied the game at 14-14.
Jayanti Gertes served up a pair of aces to give MHS a 17-14 margin.
The Lady Monarchs kept up the pressure at the net, later taking a 23-15 lead on Madison Fluharty’s kill.
Berlin committed several hitting errors down the stretch as MHS tied the match 1-1.
The Lady Monarchs played a fierce catch-up game during the third set, but couldn’t quite overcome the Bears.
Berlin went on top 12-5 after MHS was whistled for a double-hit infraction.
Fluharty’s next kill later narrowed Marysville’s deficit to 12-10.
Olentangy Berlin, though, maintained two and three-point spreads over the next several minutes.
A set by Katie Palmer led to Carys Gossett’s kill that later deadlocked the score at 18-all.
MHS’ Natalie McNicholas smashed the ball over the net, giving the home team a 23-21 edge.
Dundon’s kill put the Lady Monarchs one point away (24-21) from taking a 2-1 lead in sets.
The Bears, however, took advantage of several MHS passing and hitting miscues to assume their own 2-1 advantage after the game concluded.
A double hit by the Lady Monarchs pushed Berlin out to a 10-3 lead during the fourth set.
It appeared as though the local team’s fuel tank was nearing empty as the Bears’ upper hand continued to climb.
A ball into the net by MHS gave Olentangy Berlin a 19-9 margin.
That lead expanded to 20-9 on a Berlin kill.
The visitors went to set point on a Monarch hitting miscue.
Marysville could not keep a block in play as Berlin tallied the final point of the night.
Match stats for the Lady Monarchs were as follows:
-Kills: Dundon-nine, Jillian Gardner-seven, Fluharty-seven;
-Assists: Caitlin Rigel-16, Palmer-10;
-Digs: Morgan Shick-22, Alivia Codner-13, Palmer-10.