GREENCASTLE VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL: Mounties complete series of sweeps, win title over Tiger Cubs

Sunday, October 16, 2022
Greencastle's Kylee Owens keeps a ball alive during the final of IHSAA Volleyball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 against Southmont Saturday night. Owens had a kill and four blocks in the straight-set loss to the Mounties as the Tiger Cubs finish the season 15-16.
Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

There was one pattern to IHSAA Volleyball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 that no team wanted to be on the wrong side of.

All six matches ended in 3-0 wins, a trait Greencastle was unable to break in the championship game against Southmont, falling 26-24, 25-17, 25-16.

“(Southmont) played very well, played disciplined and confidently went about their business,” Greencastle head coach Denise Meyer said. “They did an excellent job with their service pressure and hit different shots, getting us down the line a couple of times.

“I was proud of the girls and the fight they showed, especially in set one. They kept fighting to find pockets to rally in each set.

“That whole group, with the seniors we had, I’m proud of what they were able to do this year,” Meyer added.

The two strongest teams leading up to the final immediately went on the attack with each team getting a kill and block in the first four points.

What would prove to be the difference was Southmont’s nearly infallible ability to keep play alive, refusing to allow Greencastle to finish points without needing multiple attacks each time.

Keeping play going also led to the chance for attack errors and the less experienced Tiger Cubs were more prone to make those errors, giving away five of the Mounties’ first 10 points, trailing 10-6 as a result.

The visitors were able to stretch the lead to as large as 18-9 after a series of additional host miscues.

Trailing 20-11, Greencastle began to rally as Southmont turned in some unforced errors of its own while solid serving from Mackenzie Creviston and Keirsten Clark, both forced into the position due to substation counts getting high, rallied the home side, collecting four aces between them, the last tying the set at 24-24.

The Mounties dug in, however, getting kills from Delorean Mason and Regan Remley to finish off the set.

A sluggish start to the second set left the Tiger Cubs in a 7-1 hole, though good serving from Maddie Landry helped the hosts close the gap to 9-8.

Much like in the first set, however, it was the midpoint of the set that Southmont took command, rattling off 10-straight points to make it 19-8.

“Overall, Southmont served more efficiently than us,” Meyer said. “They found floor with their service pressure and scrambled us with their pressure.”

Greencastle tried to climb back into the set but couldn’t rally quick enough, falling behind 2-0 in the match.

The Tiger Cubs had a better start to the third set but again found themselves falling behind in the middle portion, going from a 4-4 tie to trailing 17-9 as the Mounties’ middle hitters, Dara Watson and Cheyenne Shaw, were able to produce points through the hosts’ block.

“(Southmont) was able to find those holes,” Meyer said about the Mountie middle hitters. “As we prepared for this match, we talked about what shots we were going for but also about what that allowed them to do.”

With as much firepower as the hosts held, Southmont was able to fend off any attempt to rally in the closing points, securing the title with an ace from Tayler Anderson.

Greencastle finished the season 15-16 after an 0-7 start, going 4-6 in WIC play and winning the Putnam County Championship, featuring a squad that only featured four players with extensive varsity playing time and had a coaching change occur right as the season began.

“We had some young bodies out there working hard and that gives us hope for what comes next,” Meyer said. “It’s going to be a fun group to watch grow.

“When you come out of middle school programs, you’re playing with people your age; the same goes for travel ball as you’re playing with people you’re age. When you take four or five girls, throw them out there against girls that are 16, 17, 18 and are more experienced than them, I’m so proud of them.

“I’m proud of the way they were mentored by our upper classmen, the way they pulled together and I’m excited to see what develops in the future.”

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