Northview hands Tiger Cubs loss

GREENCASTLE -- Every coach knows that the first game of the season can be rough, but that doesn't make it any easier to swallow.

Greencastle fell to the Northview Knights in three sets Tuesday, 25-7, 25-18, 25-12.

"Honestly when you consider where we were this time last year, I knew this was going to be a hard game," GHS coach Trish Lowe said. "It always is when you start out against Northview. They're a 4A school and most of their kids play club ball, which is obvious from the jump serves and the power they play with."

Northview dominated Greencastle in the first set 25-7, but in set two, Greencastle drew first blood when Chelsea Samuels got a kill and a block. For a while the Tiger Cubs held the Knights offense at bay until they went on a 8-0 run that put them in control for the remainder of the game.

"We had trouble getting the ball to the setters. When you can't do that, it's hard to get the ball to the hitters," Lowe said.

Greencastle did have trouble getting the ball to the setters, but that wasn't its real problem -- serve receiving was.

Northview nailed 17 aces in the three set match, 11 of which came in the third set in which the Knights won 25-12.

"We did not move into the receiving zones well," Lowe said. "When we got ourselves down low and into passing position we did fine, but when we had to move and when there was some velocity on the ball, it was difficult for us.

"If you take away all those aces in the third game, it would have been a closer game than what the score showed," Lowe added.

Greencastle only tallied seven kills for the Knights and five aces, but even though her team lost, Lowe believes this is an OK place for them to start.

"I'm not happy that we got waxed, but this does give us an idea where to start," Lowe said. "It gives us a baseline and the next time that you see us play against a team of this caliber, we will be better."

Greencastle is back in action on Thursday when it travels to Crawfordsville for a 6 p.m. match.