Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Coming off of two big wins at the Carmel Round Robin over the weekend, the Warsaw volleyball team looked to be continuing to be rounding into form on Monday night. The Lady Tigers looked downright dominant at times during a straight-set, 3-0 victory over Homestead at the Tiger Den.
“I think as these girls start to experience more and more of these big games, you can see their confidence start to grow and grow,” Warsaw head coach Chandra Hepler said. “As a coach, you love to see that.”
It didn’t take long to see why both of these teams came into the contest with high expectations this season, as each point from the first one on was a war. Sophomore Reagan Edwards got off to a hot start for the Lady Tigers in the early going, dominating at the net to pick up more than a few points for her team.
Margins remained thin and the score remained close for a while until Warsaw was able to unleash a sophomore stampede on the Lady Spartans. Edwards, along with fellow 10th graders Jaycie Stockman and Madison Branam put together three kills in a row to extend the home lead to four, the largest of the night so far.
“You kind of pinch yourself as a coach when you see something like that,” Hepler said. “We have some great leaders, some very talented players. All the makings of a special season.”
That quick stretch did wonders for the Lady Tigers’ momentum for the remainder of the first set. While Homestead was doing enough to stick around and keep things close, Warsaw was able to quickly snuff any run by the visitors with a quick point of their own to remain ahead by three or four.
Back-to-back aces for Branam during the final points of the set put the finishing touches on a statement win for Warsaw in the opener. The home side took it 25-19, fittingly, on a kill by Edwards.
“She is just a gamer. I’ve gotten on her because I know what her ceiling is and I’m starting to see her begin to reach that,” Hepler said.
The second set mirrored the first, as the initial points of the game consisted of long rallies with both sides coming away with their fair share of victories. Once more, the Lady Tigers were able to find themselves ahead thanks to some pinpoint serving by CeCe Goode. After a pair of aces, a kill by Maddie Williamson put the home team up by five at 11-6.
Warsaw senior Lexy Whittenberger keeps the volley going during the first set of Monday night's home match against Homestead...Nieter
Warsaw continued to get stronger as the match wore on, forcing a timeout by the Lady Spartans with the visitors trailing 15-9. When the fast-moving attack of the Lady Tigers is on point, it can be a long night for the opposition, and so far this was one of those nights.
Looking to avoid going down to sets to nothing, Homestead responded well to trailing late in the second, cutting the deficit down to three at one point. However, Warsaw was able to get back on track in the final points, finishing strong to secure a 25-18 win.
The third set did not feature the long, highly-fought points the first two did, as it did not take long at all for the Lady Tigers to build up a sizable advantage. The fantastic serving continued to be a storyline for the home side here, as two more aces by Branam forced a Homestead timeout with the score already 11-4.
“We love to be aggressive when we serve. We practice a lot,” Hepler said. “When you can use your serve as a weapon to get other teams out of rhythm, it can go a long way towards winning you a match.”
The break didn’t do much to stop the bleeding for the visitors, as eventually Warsaw was able to extend its advantage to double digits at 18-8. At this point, the winner and loser was no longer in question, just the final score.
It didn’t take long for that final score to be reached, as the Lady Tigers finished off what was a signature third set with a 25-13.
Warsaw (6-1) will take on nonconference rival Penn on the road Wednesday night.
“We saw them this summer so I’ve had my eyes on them,” Hepler said. “We always bring out the best in each other and it’s tough to go to their place to try and pick up a win but I know my girls are up for the challenge.”
