Greencastle wins county volleyball for second year in a row

Saturday, September 13, 2014
Greencastle (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

ROACHDALE--The volleyball teams of Putnam County gathered at North Putnam Saturday morning and the tournament ended with a Cloverdale and Greencastle rematch.

Though the Tiger Cubs were missing some players due to injury, they proved to be the top team in the county, beating the Clovers in two games.

The tournament started with Greencastle getting the first win against North Putnam 25-17. Then after being down to the home team 4-2 Greencastle rallied in the second to take the lead 10-8.

The Lady Tiger Cubs celebrate after the final point is scored. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"I told them that they needed to show up to play and leave everything on the court," Cougar coach Brady Dickson said. "We talked about that this week. Making sure we were mentally able to play Greencastle."

Greencastle was missing three varsity players including the team's spike doctor Olivia Divine who was injured with a shoulder injury.

"It's great," GHS coach Maggie Walters said. "We changed our lineup two days ago and they adjusted. I couldn't be more proud of them."

Cloverdale's Bailee Stevens controls the ball for the Clovers during the first match against South Putnam. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Greencastle kept the offensive pressure on with Quinci Miller and Allison White leading the team in kills, along with Kate Anderson and Sarah Miller who were picking up the slack.

North Putnam, who last saw county action with a 3-0 win against South Putnam last week, made some notable plays, including some good digs by Shay Lucas and Kaitlin Mindiola but Dickson believes something was lacking in the motivation for her team during the match.

"I don't think that we gave our best effort," Dickson said. "I think that they shied away in some situations and they really struggled with serving. We only served 75 percent as a team. That really hurt us. I feel like we are not coming out aggressive enough or confident enough to win."

Cloverdale and Greencastle huddle before the start of the championship match. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Greencastle topped off the second game of the first match with a 25-16 win over North Putnam.

Dickson said the focus on effort can be rectified in practice.

"We need to work on out intensity in practices," she said. "We really just need to work on our confidence because we definitely have to talent and ability. But we are not working together right now."

Taylor Stoltey of Greencastle keeps the ball in play for the Tiger Cubs. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The second match of the day pitted Cloverdale and South Putnam against each other in their first meeting this season.

After losing the first match decisively South Putnam went down early in the second game as well.

Cloverdale was on constant attack mode and the Eagles had to muster up support for each other to make plays as a unit.

"The team chemistry was really good today," Eagle coach Kristin Hendrich. "Everybody was really supportive of one another and encouraging which I really like to see. Going forward is just going to be a matter of girls keeping there heads up and staying confident in themselves to go out and perform like they do in practice. "

Cloverdale's constant attacks, usually set up by Jessica Winders and finished off by Bailee Stevens were taking a toll on the Eagles.

When the low ceiling of the North Putnam gym wasn't messing up the chemistry of the return for the Eagles, Hendrich said it was the mental game that led to the problems for South.

The Cougar JV team took the gold as the overtook Cloverdale in the championship game. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"That is what kills us," Hendrich said. "It's all mental. Skill-wise it's just disappointing to watch because I see so much better play in practice."

The Clovers finished off South Putnam 25-14 in game two.

Though the team will lose Emily Dobson to graduation next year, the young hitters keep the Eagles optimistic that those mistakes will evaporate.

Sierra Spencer (11) of North Putnam sets up her teammates. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"We're a young team," Hendrich said. "So that's part of it and just lack of experience. We'll get there."

Before the championship game the varsity gym played host to the junior varsity championship game featuring Cloverdale and North Putnam.

North led early in the first game but Cloverdale rallied as the game neared conclusion and long volleys were the story of the match. North Putnam however stayed on top and pulled out the win 25-18.

Raven Gant of North Putnam returns in the JV championship game. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"Our girls were doing very good coverage," Cougar JV coach Jessica Reed said. "They were making sure they were really watching and reading the other players on the ball. The just came through with a lot of good hits."

Game two started with a tit-for-tat type but Cloverdale eventually pulled away and won 25-15 setting up a crucial game three for the championship. Emotions were running high as a close game came down to the last set with a score of 14-14.

On the Clover serve North Putnam was able to return and claim the championship for the home team.

Eagles' Emily Dobson handles a spike in the first game of the Cloverdale match. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"I'm definitely proud of them because we came together as a team and really worked together," Reed said. "We're putting some of our serves in the spots that we needed to. We are recognizing that without guessing. I'm just proud of them."

The championship game started close with a 6-6 early score and some hard hits by both teams before Cloverdale jumped to an 18-14 lead.

Clover coach Kathy Moore said she told her team to be aggressive after the first win.

Sarah Miller goes up for a spike in the championship game. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"I said we would be ok," Moore said. "I said we had too many service errors and we would have to take it to them; to be proactive and not reactive against a bigger team."

Despite the aggressive nature of the Clovers, the Tiger Cubs were able to tie the game up at 21 before taking the win 25-23 on a Quinci Miller spike that was just out of reach for Winders.

"We had the lead that first set and we just didn't finish," Moore said. "In tournament play you've got to finish."

North celebrates a point during the County Tournament Saturday. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Greencastle came out hot in the second game, jumping to an 11-4 lead early.

"Greencastle, they got that first set and that shook our confidence a little bit," Moore said. We started coming back and then just some mistakes and that was it."

Cloverdale was able to come back and tie the score at 17 but the Tiger Cubs were able to hold them off winning 25-21.

Mackenzi Myers (20) digs a ball for the Eagles. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"I'm so excited," Taylor Stoltey said. "It's the second year in a row and its my senior year. We have worked a lot on the team and so with new lineups, I think we did great. We have a bunch of girls that are willing to work together and work hard and I'm really excited. I love my team and I'm thankful to have everyone that I have."

Also enjoying the win is the second-year coach who has now experienced a county championship in her first two years at the helm.

"It feels pretty good," Walters said. "I couldn't have asked for better girls to coach. They're great. I couldn't be happier right now."

Cloverdale's Jessica Winders (7) sets up her team against Greencastle. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)
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  • Why wasn't the JV photo printed in the Banner? A lot of people don't have the ability to read it on-line.

    -- Posted by PutCoRes on Mon, Sep 15, 2014, at 7:49 PM
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