Eagles keep up in WIC volleyball chase with win over Patriots

The South Putnam Eagle volleyball team recovered to keep its Western Indiana Conference title hopes alive in a match against the Owen Valley Patriots on Thursday night. The Eagles dominated the first set and then took sets three and four from the Patriots to improve to 5-5 on the season and 3-1 in conference play. The Eagle win dropped the Clovers to 2-5 on the season and 2-2 in WIC action.

The Eagles won the first set in a rout 25-6, then dropped the second set before rallying and winning two close contests. South used great net games from Olivia Woolums and Emmalyn Jeter combined with the serving of Chlara Pistelli and the all-around effort out of Kelsey Custis to even their season record.

“We just wanted to come out and play with a lot of energy and get it going. We did that,” South Putnam head coach Ellen Cash said.

The Eagles did just that in the first set. South took a 7-0 lead at the outset. A pair of Jeter kills, a pair of Woolums points and three straight points from Custis sparked the lead. Custis was able to get her points from both behind the service line and at the net. South continued to dominate as they would extend the lead to 21-5 as Woolums continued to drive the ball home from the left side of the floor and Chlara Pistelli would finish off the impressive set with a pair of aces for a 25-6 victory and a 1-0 lead.

“Chlara is really good for us serving. She did an amazing job and that is why we have her starting out serving” Cash said.

Pistelli would start the second set with another pair of aces, but the Eagles would lose momentum part of the way through the set. A 6-4 Eagle lead would evaporate as some Eagle errors and net play by Owen Valley’s Makala Gomer and Taylor Monroe led a furious Patriot rally. Owen Valley would turn the 6-4 deficit into a 19-9 lead and then hold on to take the second set 25-13 and tie the match at one game apiece.

“I don’t know. I guess we just let them get back into it,” Cash said of the Eagles first set dominance falling away in the second.

The Eagles led from start to finish in the third set, but could not put the Patriots away like the first set. South used Woolums power from the left side of the net take an early lead and then Jeter served a pair of aces for an early 8-3 lead. The Eagles would never trail, but Owen Valley rallied to cut the lead to 16-13 before a Custis ace and a Jeter kill put an end to the run and South kept the Patriots at bay despite three aces by Kalyn Greene. South would maintain a three-to-six-point edge until Joscelyn Pilcher closed the set out with a kill and 25-21 victory.

“This team can be scrappy and feisty when we need to be,” Cash said as the Eagles used several rallies to keep the lead on Owen Valley.

The fourth set saw the two teams play evenly in the early portion of the set. The teams were tied at 8-all before Owen Valley seemed to take control. The Patriots pushed the lead to 16-11 taking advantage of a couple of Eagle errors and some Monroe forceful net play.

The Eagles used Jeter at the net to mount a comeback. The back line got the ball up front for the senior who scored four points as the Eagles rallied to take a 20-19 lead. South would then battle and finish off the Patriots 25-20 and the match at 3-1.

“I guess our girls wanted to get Emmy some points. We really did a nice job tonight,” Cash said.

South picked up contributions from everywhere as Jeter, Woolums and Taylor Hartley did damage at the net, while Lainey Nolley, and Danae Cline seemed to clean up everything on the back row, but the contribution of senior Custis did not go unnoticed by coach Cash.

“Her (Custis) knowledge of the game is incredible. She knows every position on the floor and what needs to be done,” Cash said as Custis scored from behind the service line and at the net as well as playing excellent defense and providing key sets.

The Eagles hope to ride the momentum of the night’s victory into the weekend as they will play Greencastle in the Putnam County tournament.