Menu
SOUTHMONT VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL: Eagles hold steady, knock out host Mounties
NEW MARKET – The South Putnam Eagle volleyball team took its practice habits to the court on Thursday night at Southmont in its IHSAA Volleyball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 opener against the host Southmont Mounties.
The Eagles were phenomenal on defense and countered most attacks to win the match in three sets 25-22, 27-25, 25-14.
South played the net strongly, but its backline defense repelled shot after shot from Southmont. The Eagles were more aggressive offensively and were able to eke out two close sets to open the match, then used that emotion and lead to finish off the Mounties.
The win improved the Eagles to 9-17 on the year and allow them to take on Riverton Parke in the semifinals on Saturday. Southmont’s season ended on its home court with a final 10-18 record.
“We changed some things this week and worked on them in practice to take certain things away from (Southmont). We matched Madison (Gardner) up against the front line and the team did what we asked of them. I am so proud of them and how we played,” South Putnam head coach Ellen Houser said.
The first set was a game of runs early on. After being tied at 4-4, Southmont scored four-straight points, but the Eagles responded with seven-straight points themselves, highlighted by a pair of aces from Joscelyn Pilcher.
The Eagles could not maintain the momentum as a pair of aces from Southmont’s Cheyenne Shaw answered back and the hosts took an 18-14 lead, setting up a back-and-forth battle for the remainder of the set.
The Eagles had a great defensive stand as both teams rallied, with the Mounties seeming to take control at 20-17, then a pair of kills by Pilcher and then two more by Olivia Woolums allowed South to retake the lead, one it finished off with the 25-22 victory.
“Joscelyn has always been a smart player, but she had some great full swings and was more aggressive tonight,” Houser said.
The Eagles took an early lead in the second set. A kill, a block and three aces from Gardner propelled South to a 13-6 lead, but the hosts were not going away.
Following an unbelievable defensive rally from both squads the Mounties cut the lead to three. Pilcher responded with three-straight points and Gardner added another block to take a 19-14 lead, yet again the Mounties came back.
The hosts chipped away until they tied the score at 23-23, taking a one-point lead, but could not close out the Eagles.
Pilcher had a pair of points around a couple of rallies that allowed South to take the 2-0 lead with a 27-25 win. The blocks by the Eagles were impressive on the night, but their recovery on blocks to keep a lot of balls alive and set up points was a key component.
“We work on being in the right place defensively and covering for each other. We really got to a lot of balls tonight,” Houser said.
The Eagles left little doubt in the final set. Winning two emotional sets early gave them an advantage and after taking an early 7-2 lead, South pulled away from the Mounties with consistent play, few errors and solid defense.
Southmont cut the Eagle lead to 15-10, but a set return by Chlara Pistelli and a kill by Taylor Wagoner boosted the lead before Woolums closed things out with three kills of the final four Eagle points for the 25-14 win and the sweep.
“I think being seniors, (Woolums, Pilcher, Peyton Freeman) they really were aggressive and helped us all night,” Houser said.