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North Putnam rolls through South Putnam in county volleyball sweep
Normally the most aggressive team in sports wins and Thursday night at South Putnam was no different.
The North Putnam Cougars swept the Eagles in a Western Indiana Conference volleyball game with an effective, aggressive net game 25-17, 25-21, 25-12.
North’s front line and aggressive game got the better of South’s defensive philosophy as they led most of all three sets.
“(South Putnam) is definitely a scrappy team, but we were really good offensively. Our passing was really good and we set ourselves up to be good,” North Putnam head coach Jenny Heron said of her squad, who is now 8-3 overall and 2-0 in the WIC.
The Cougar offense had a 7-1 run in the early part of the first set to turn a tie score into a 10-4 lead forcing the Eagles to call timeout.
That run put the Cougars enough in front to withstand a couple of South runs during the contest, but they never trailed again and behind Ashleigh Riley at the net and behind the service line, the Cougars finished the set 25-17 victors. Riley had nine of the Cougar points in the set.
“We struggle if we don’t come out and get aggressive early on. (North Putnam) really was tough to handle,” South Putnam head coach Ellen Houser said as her Eagles fell to 4-6 on the season and 2-1 in conference action.
North dominated the early stages of the second set. Mack Mason at the net and Addi Osburn from behind the service line sparked the Cougars to an early 11-3 lead.
The Eagles made a couple of different runs to get back in the game. Danae Cline was digging balls on the back line and the Eagles used a couple of Olivia Woolums kills, a brilliant set point by Chlara Pistelli and Cline got in the scoring act from the back row to cut the score 19-16, but that was as close as the hosts would get as Riley closed the set with another kill and a 25-21 win to go up 2-0 in the match.
“Ashleigh is so competitive. Sometimes you have to try and pull her back, but she makes a difference,” Heron said of her senior hitter.
South took the early lead in the third set, scoring the first three points, including a big block by Madison Gardner.
North then went on a big 13-2 run highlighted by a pair of Riley aces and punctuated by a Saylor Carrell kill. North would maintain that lead most of the game and finish behind Osburn’s aces to close out the match with a 25-12 win.
“North is as good a team as we have played. They are really good at the net and the back as well. We have not played a team that does both of those like that,” Houser said.
The Cougar’s passing game was set up well by senior setter Lexi Daigle. The Cougars were able establish the net game as she controlled the floor offensively.
“Lexi has been really good for us, she played well. She got a lot of help from our back line as well,” Heron said as her Cougars look to keep their WIC record unblemished as they host West Vigo next Tuesday.
The Eagles will travel to Owen Valley on the Sept, 6, while the teams will play in the Putnam County Volleyball Tournament Sept. 9.