Lizzie Nicol of Fairbanks (left) digs the ball during Tuesday’s match against Greenon. Also pictured for FHS are Caydee Breneman (24), Dani Headings (3) and Jayda Rausch (15). FHS won the match in three sets. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The Lady Panthers of Fairbanks weren’t expected to work overtime to beat Greenon during an Ohio Heritage Conference volleyball match on Tuesday.
The Lady Panthers pulled away with a 25-12 victory during the opening game en route to a 3-0 sweep.
The second game wasn’t much of a battle as FHS notched a 25-4 triumph.
Armed with a 2-0 lead, Fairbanks pulled out to a 20-11 margin during the final set.
The Knights made a bit of a run and narrowed their deficit to 21-15.
Fairbanks, however, controlled the action down the stretch and concluded the contest with a 25-15 victory.
FHS head coach Ryanne Ufferman was pleased with what she saw from her squad.
“The girls rotated well on the floor,” she said. “We’ve been looking for progress on our speed in transition and we saw that tonight.
“Our movement was pretty crisp.”
Greenon held a 10-9 edge during the first set.
The Lady Panthers (8-5 overall and 7-2 in the OHC) later took an 11-10 lead when Kaelynn Sphapmixay tipped the ball over the net for a kill.
Caydee Breneman added a kill as FHS’ margin climbed to 16-10.
Greenon had trouble keeping the ball in play as Fairbanks blasted it over the net.
Anna Higbee’s kill put the Panthers at set point, 24-12.
Greenon then sent the ball into the net for FHS’ final point of the game.
It was the Sphapmixay show from the serving line during the ensuing set.
The Lady Panther junior was the first server of the game.
Her offerings, plus a number of Knight hitting and passing miscues, allowed her to remain on the line until Fairbanks built a 15-0 lead.
Sphapmixay’s net serve gave the visitors their first point of the game.
Higbee notched a pair of kills that pushed the Lady Panthers out to a 19-3 advantage.
Jayda Rausch tallied a kill as Fairbanks took a 2-0 lead.
The Knights fell victim to additional mistakes during the final set.
Most of those miscues came on serve receptions as FHS’ advantage expanded to 17-5.
Greenon got to within 21-13 when one of its blocks fell safely near the Panthers’ back line.
Fairbanks, however, took advantage of Greenon miscues during the final minutes to claim the three-set triumph.
Sphapmixay had a huge night on the serving line. She was 27-of-29 with 10 aces.
She also added 28 assists, five digs and a pair of kills.
Lizzie Nicol was perfect on 16 serves with a trio of aces. She finished with 10 digs.
Breneman was nine-of-10 hitting with seven kills.
Rausch finished with six kills on 15-of-16 hitting.
Kaelynn Sphapmixay of Fairbanks serves the ball against Greenon. She tallied 10 aces during the victory over the Knights. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)