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Eagles lose after bye, end season
Having been the beneficiary of a bye in the opening round of the IHSAA Class 2A Sectional No. 44, South Putnam's volleyball team finally entered postseason play Saturday morning at Monrovia High School.
Facing Covenant Christian, who vanquished North Putnam on Tuesday, the Eagles were outmatched by the Indianapolis-based school and fell in three sets 25-6, 25-11 and 25-6.
South Putnam coach Kristin Hendrich said that the team did not play up to the level that she had seen them perform at before.
"I told the girls it was really disappointing for us because this is when we really should be at our best and they're better than how they played today," Hendrich said. "The two weeks off without a game killed us.
"I think we were rusty. We were slow reacting, they looked lost out there and I think it was because we hadn't had a game in so long."
Having last played on October 9th, the Eagles looked shorn of match sharpness and were quickly on the back foot against a disciplined Warrior outfit.
Covenant Christian roared out to a 10-4 lead and it was not until the South Putnam trailed 18-4 that the Eagles were able to score against the Warriors.
The set did not last long thereafter as Covenant Christian scored the next six points and quickly closed out the set 25-6.
South Putnam battled well in the early parts of the second set, keeping within striking distance at 9-7 and 13-9.
Covenant Christian eventually took control in the later half of the set, outscoring the Eagles 12-2 in the closing stages to take the second set 25-11.
Hendrich felt that even when the team was hanging with the Warriors, there was a feeling that the squad did not feel that they were in the match.
"We weren't sure who we were going to end up playing," Hendrich said. "We came to watch the game between North Putnam and Covenant Christian and scouted both teams, looking at who they were and how we needed to go about things today.
"All week we talked about how we had a wonderful chance to beat this team today but when they showed up, the girls didn't think they were going to win and we lost today. If you don't think you're going to win, you're not going to win."
South Putnam had it best stretch of play in the opening stages of the third set, moving from 5-1 down to tie the score at 5-5.
The Warriors, however, scored the next 13 points and routed the Eagles in the final stretch to close out the third set and finish the match at 25-6.
Finishing the season 4-21, Hendrich said that the wins and losses overshadowed the work the girls put into the season and was impressed with their work this season.
"I was really pleased," Hendrich said. "I have a really good group of girls and I love all of them.
"They worked hard for me and they all had really positive attitudes the entire season. We never had any trouble at all with that where in the past, that's something that teams have struggled with.
"I'm really excited for seasons to come," Hendrich added. "We have a lot of young girls and there's a lot of talent there.
"It's going to be my focus to really build that program and I think that there is going to be a lot of good things to come."
Sole departing senior Emily Dobson did a lot to keep the squad together and Hendrich said she would be a great loss.
"I think Emily did a fantastic job," Hendrich said. "She's the best senior leader I could have asked for.
"She would write notes to the girls and have them delivered to school and she would always keep people positive and upbeat. Even if she was having a rough day, she would be cheering on the person that would go in for her.
"It's going to be impossible to find another senior leader that can mirror what she did for us this season," Hendrich added.
With 12 underclassmen returning next year having gotten varsity playing time, Hendrich said that a winter and summer of work would push the Eagles in the right direction next season.
"We're really pushing for any girl who is not in a winter sport to start in a club league," Hendrich said. "There is a league that in the summer that we will be playing in, along with lots and lots of open gyms.
"We're really asking a lot of the girls but we know it will pay off in the long run if they can give us that time and effort. In time, we'll turn them into the team we know they can be."
At Monrovia High School
IHSAA Class 2A Sectional No. 44
South Putnam 6 11 6
Covenant Christian 25 25 25