Morgan Shick of MHS passes the ball back toward the net during Thursday’s volleyball match against Central Crossing. The Lady Monarchs dropped the contest in five sets.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The Lady Monarch varsity volleyball squad was involved in another five-set, marathon battle on Thursday.
MHS won two of the first three sets, but dropped the final two in losing the match to Central Crossing.
Scores were 25-20, 21-25, 25-19, 18-25, 9-15.
“We are facing tough competition and are providing that same competition to the other squads,” said Lady Monarch coach Bethany Bentz. “The girls are stepping on the court with an unified attitude of taking care of our side and controlling what we can control.”
Neither team could gain a really comfortable advantage for much of the contest.
The opening game was tied at 18-18 when Marysville sent a block sailing out of bounds.
Several Comet hitting miscues pushed MHS out to a 21-18 lead.
Kaitlyn DeLauter scored an ace serve for a 22-18 margin.
Madison Fluharty then ended the set with a kill.
Central Crossing jumped out to a 17-9 lead during the ensuing game after MHS’ errant hit out of bounds.
The Lady Monarchs (5-7), however, battled back and narrowed the gap to 18-16 on Alyssa Codner’s kill.
Central Crossing climbed to a 24-19 advantage.
A kill from Larissa Smith and an ace serve by Maddie Busch pulled MHS to within 24-21.
A net serve by the Monarchs tied the match at 1-1.
The Comets held an 11-7 edge early in the third set before strong front line play from Codner, Fluharty and Rhi Gossett turned the tide in MHS’ favor.
The fourth and fifth sets were played much like the first three with the Comets able to pull out the victory.
“I am extremely pleased with the execution of the plan we have set forth and the belief in the process the girls have,” said Bentz. “ They are an amazing team and I am so proud to be their coach.”
The Lady Monarchs posted 41 kills on the night.
Fluharty led the team with 10 kills, while Codner and Gossett combined for 17.
Peyton Ingle and Sarah Peterson each contributed 18 assists.
Morgan Shick tallied 14 digs, DeLauter finished with 12 and Busch added six.
Lady Panthers win
Fairbanks’ spikers upped their overall record to 6-2 and their Ohio Heritage Conference mark at 5-1 with a 25-15, 25-17, 25-16 sweep over Cedarville.
Stats for the match were as follows:
-Kadie Carstensen: 15 kills, 11-of-13 serving, 17 attacks;
-Taylar Sphapmixay: 11 attacks, five kills, 25-of-25 sets;
-Cassie Lamb: 10-for-10 serving with six points, 36 perfect sets and 17 assists;
-Lizze Nicol: nine points, 14-of-15 serving and three ace serves;
-Jayda Rausch: 11 passes, nine attacks, three kills;
-Emma Griffey: seven kills, four blocks;
-Anna Higbee: eight points, seven kills;
-Olivia Vollrath: 10 serves, five points, 12 passes;
NU wins fifth straight
The Lady Cats improved their season record to 5-1 with a 3-0 sweep over Northwestern.
The Lady Cats earned a solid set one win with a score of 25-16 and held off the Lady Warriors in set two to win, 25-20.
The final game was a return to form for the Lady Cats as they completed the sweep with a 25-14 triumph.
Journey Blevins led North Union with 14 kills, while Gabby Ziegler added seven .
Grace Brandt had a solid day at the service line as she notched four aces.
Jordyn Hoffman picked up 13 digs to help the NU defense and teamed with Grason Ingles for 24 assists.
Spikers split matches
The Bunsold Middle School Blue spikers split matches with Jonathan Alder.
The eighth-grade won 25-22, 25-16.
Elle Martter tallied eight aces serves and Lauren Eizensmits added seven.
Olivia Kroft and Martter both finished with eight digs, while Abby Stinemetz and Faith Garrison combinbed for 11 kills.
The seventh-grade fell to the Pioneers, 12-25, 12-25.
Eliana Borjas has two aces and 15 digs.
Bella Hackett recorded 10 digs and Paityn Hoskins contributed with two kills from setter Ari Nausbaum.