Tiger Cubs complete middle school County Tournament sweep

The championship teams from Greencastle.

Greencastle seventh-graders defeat South Putnam

Members of the seventh grade 2013 Putnam County Middle School Volleyball Tournament championship team include Ivy Wright, Erin Thomas, Jalyn Duff, Mckenzie Woodall, Madison Short, Gretchen Weliever, Abby Meyer, Bailey Shuee, Brooke Sieg, Piersten Young, manager Kalylynn Gropp and coach Jane Roberson. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

CLOVERDALE -- The Greencastle seventh grade volleyball team jumped out to a fast start in the Putnam County Tournament final on Wednesday, but a spirited effort from South Putnam pushed the Tiger Cubs to the brink in the second set.

Bailey Shuee goes up for a set near the net for Greencastle.

The Tiger Cubs held on for a 25-19, 25-24 win.

Ivy Wright led GMS from the service line, picking up four points and four aces in the first set and nine and seven in the match, helping the Tiger Cubs jump out to a 12-4 advantage to begin the night.

Greencastle's passing was crisp, allowing setter Bailey Shuee to place the ball where attackers Jalyn Duff, Erin Thomas and Mckenzie Woodall could take advantage.

The Eagles' best chance at a comeback came when Sydney Jackman toed the line.

Jackman had five points, including two aces, in the first set. She guided a three-point rally late in the opening set but the Eagles couldn't close the gap to less than six.

The second set began much like the first, but the Eagles fought right back. Trailing 12-5 Abigail Butcher took over at serve for South Putnam.

She rolled the team to five straight points and had three aces.

The teams traded serves until Jackman got back to service for the Eagles. She scored five more point and helped South Putnam to its first lead of the match, 20-19.

The Eagles kept the pressure on, but clutch, pressure-packed serving for the Tiger Cubs helped secure the title.

Kaylee Noel makes a diving dig for South Putnam.

Shuee took over the serve trailing 24-23, knowing that any error meant losing the set. She ripped two perfect serves that snuck through the Eagles returners to close out the set, match and tournament.

Thomas led the Tiger Cubs with five digs. Duff had three kills and two aces.

For the Eagles, Jackman had 11 points and four aces. Butcher had six points, three aces and a dig. Kaylee Noel had three digs and a kill. Kylie Wyatt had two kills, one dig and one point.

Members of the championship eighth-grade team include Sydney Cash, Sierra Mason, Isabelle Schneider, Tenzin Duff, Maggie Meyer, Brynne Shuee, Kaylee Hughes, Reagan Box, Julia Mundy and Hannah Miller. Coach Denise Meyer is not pictured. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

Tiger Cubs defeat Cougars in three sets

CLOVERDALE -- The Greencastle eighth grade volleyball team has been dominating its opponents throughout the season, but the North Putnam girls weren't intimidated in the finals of the Putnam County Tournament on Wednesday.

The Cougars pushed the Tiger Cubs to split sets and led midway through the final game before Greencastle pulled away to win the match and the championship 25-9, 23-25, 15-12.

Julia Mundy and Maggie Meyer were a menacing pair for the Tiger Cubs. GMS had a narrow lead in the first set until Mundy toed the line and ripped off 12 straight points, including five aces, to give Greencastle an insurmountable 18-3 lead.

The Cougars got off to a much more successful start in the second set. Raven Gant, Camryn Gibson, Grace Lake and Sydney Moore all had sustained rallies as server for the Cougars.

Moore had seven points in the second set and helped North Putnam get momentum going.

The Tiger Cubs fell behind, and struggled with their passing as they tried to catch up. Their passing started to tighten up with Mundy setting for Meyer. The pair connected for four kills in the set and six in the match.

The Cougars built their lead up to 23-18 but Isabella Schneider felt no pressure. She picked up three points for the Tiger Cubs when they needed them most before North Putnam finally found a way to finish of Greencastle in the game.

NPMS kept things going in the third set and had Greencastle on the brink of an upset defeat with a 12-8 lead in the first-to-15 final game.

Meyer had no interest in that. She tore through six straight points to close out the match and clinch the title for Greencastle.

Brynne Shuee led the Tiger Cubs with three digs and added four kills.

Meyer had 14 points, five aces, five assists and six kills. Mundy had 14 points, seven aces, one block and six assists. Hannah Miller had three points and four kills.

The Cougars leading defenders were Mia Runnells and Lake, who had four digs each. Moore led the team with eight points and four aces.

Gibson had six points and Gant had four points.

Maggie Meyer calls of Julia Mundy to make a pass.

2013 Putnam County Middle School Volleyball Tournament
At Cloverdale
Seventh Grade
South Putnam.......19 24
Greencastle..........25 25

Individual stats
South Putnam
Points-aces: Jackman 11-4; Butcher 6-3; Duvall 1-1; Wyatt 1-0
Kill-assist: Bratcher 1-1; Wells 1-0; Noel 1-0; Duvall 1-1; Wyatt 2-0
Digs: Noel 3; Bratcher 2; Duvall 2; Butcher 1; Benedict 1; Jackman 1; Wyatt 1; Clark 1; Sheets 1

Greencastle
Points-aces: Wright 9-7; Woodall 4-4; Duff 4-2; Young 3-2; Shuee 2-2; Short 2-0
Kills-assist: Duff 3-0; Wright 1-0; Meyer 1-0; Thomas 1-0; Woodall 1-0; Shuee 0-4
Digs: Thomas 5; Young 3; Duff 3; Sieg 2; Short 1; Shuee 1; Weliever 1

Raven Gant attempts a jump serve for North Putnam.

Eighth grade
North Putnam............9 25 12
Greencastle..............25 23 15

Individual stats
North Putnam
Points-aces: Moore 8-4; Gibson 6-0; Lake 5-1; Gant 4-1
Kills: Runnells 1; Baker 1; Lake 1
Digs: Runnells 4; Lake 4; Gibson 1; Gant 1; Moore 1

Greencastle
Points-aces: Meyer 14-5; Mundy 14-7; Schneider 6-1; Miller 3-1; Shuee 2-2; Cash 1-0
Kills-assist: Meyer 6-5; Mundy 1-6; Shuee 4-1; Miller 4-0
Digs: Shuee 3; Schneider 1; Miller 1; Meyer 1; Mundy 1; Cash 1; Hughes 1; Mason 1; Box 1; Duff 1
Blocks: Mundy 1