Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
It’s been a long time since the Warsaw volleyball team was thoroughly tested in Northern Lakes Conference play, but Thursday night’s match against rival Plymouth gave the Lady Tigers exactly that. Each point was a war, and the Lady Pilgrims rose from the dead on numerous occasions to make Warsaw work for everything. In the end, the Lady Tigers were able to find a way to finish the job in a 3-1 win.
“I think we may have underestimated them a bit coming into this one, and credit to Plymouth for giving us everything they had,” Warsaw head coach Chandra Hepler said. “This can be a learning experience though and I think we can use it as one.”
An ace for Ellie Hepler on the first point of the game really set the tone for the rest of the night. Always on the prowl, the Lady Tiger offense wasted no time getting into its signature fast-paced rhythm and started stacking points. The visitors did well to stick around during this early stretch, not allowing Warsaw to go on a back-breaking run just yet.
This was largely due to the Lady Pilgrims’ front line, which began the game on fire. Finding a way to both find spots to land kills of their own while successfully blocking their opponents allowed Plymouth to remain within two at 9-7.
But each time the visitors got close enough to make things interesting, Warsaw would come up with an answer right away. CeCe Goode had an incredible first set, killing everything that was close enough for her to get a hand on it. Eventually, the Lady Tigers were able to separate a bit and force a Plymouth timeout up 17-10.
Warsaw junior Maddie Williamson makes solid contacdt for a kill during Thursday night's home match against Plymouth...Nieter
While the Lady Pilgrims never let the set get completely out of hand, Warsaw was able to hold on and finish things off at 25-16 to go up 1-0. Funnily enough, the set ended the way it started: with a Hepler ace.
Plymouth continued to battle hard and stick around as the second set got going, but the Lady Tigers continued to hold their opponents at bay and remain in front. Freshman Harper Setser entered the game here and made an immediate impact at the net.
“There were a lot of times you couldn’t even tell Harper was a freshman out there. She’s so coachable and has developed so quickly,” Heper said. “You saw her take a big step tonight.”
A third kill by Setser extended the lead to six at 15-9 and forced a timeout call by the visitors. The closest Plymouth would get throughout the ensuing play would be four points, but Warsaw continued to dominate the service game and improved greatly at the net. The home side would use the momentum to go up 2-0 after a 25-17 win.
Early on in the third set, the Lady Pilgrims took their first lead of the night at 4-3. It would only last for a point, as Warsaw quickly jumped back in front and got back to business. A four-point lead at 9-5 was all it took for a timeout from the visitors.
Following the break, the Lady Tiger advantage continued to balloon. It hovered around seven or eight for the rest of the set as the home side neared another conference sweep. However, Plymouth continued to battle as it had all night long. The Lady Pilgrims were able to storm all the way back to take the lead once again at 25-24 after facing two straight match points. They completed the comeback a point later, winning the third set 26-24 to stay alive.
Warsaw held a narrow lead as the fourth set got going, and while the home side was in front, momentum was really starting to favor their opponent. Three straight points by the visitors forced a timeout with the Lady Tigers winning 9-8.
The two teams remained closely knit as the set continued to go on. The Lady Tigers held onto their lead, but each time it looked as if they would finally take control of the game, Plymouth swung back with a huge answer. At 19-18, the visitors jumped back in front.
Setser continued her fantastic night with a massive kill that put her team back in front and forced a Lady Pilgrim timeout. It looked as if Warsaw would finally put their rivals away after going up 24-21, but Plymouth fought back to tie it up once more. This time, the home side was able to find the finisher, as a block by Reagan Edwards ended the match with a 26-24 victory.
The Lady Tigers (18-3, 4-0 NLC) hosts defending state champion Fort Wayne Carroll on Tuesday.
