Warsaw Volleyball Drops Close Contest To Homestead

Warsaw junior Krista Lauck goes up for a block against Taeley Mahler of Homestead during the second set. Photo by Gary Nieter

Posted Monday, August 21, 2023 9:35 pm

Connor McCann

Warsaw junior Krista Lauck goes up for a block against Taeley Mahler of Homestead during the second set. Photo by Gary Nieter

The Warsaw Lady Tiger volleyball team has been no stranger to strong competition early in this 2023 season, with Monday night being no exception. Warsaw welcomed Homestead to the Tiger Den Monday night, where both teams treated spectators to an incredibly competitive and highly-skilled contest. After dropping the first set, the Lady Spartans would come back to earn a 3-1 ( 25-27, 26-24, 25-13, 26-19) win.
The Lady Tigers are now 2-5 this season.
The visitors wasted no time getting down to business, scoring the match’s first two points and staying on top early. The Lady Tigers would settle in not much later, rallying to tie the game three separate times over the next few points. Each point was a battle, with heavy hitters up front putting some serious heat on the ball for both teams. Bodies hit the floor left and right, with each side keeping rallies alive while setting up attackers for kills.
Warsaw took its first lead at around the midway point in the set, but nothing felt safe in the first set. Momentum shifted on a dime, with each team figuring things out long enough to string a few points together, just for the other to make the proper adjustments and regain control. This trend would continue until the Lady Spartans went up two at 19-17, forcing Hepler to use a timeout for the first time.
It would pay dividends, as Warsaw would get back on track, tying up the game at 21 and forcing Homestead to call a timeout of their own. It wouldn’t do much for the visitors, as the Lady Tigers continued to apply the pressure after the break. A monster kill by Leah Henderson would put the home side up 24-22 on a huge kill from Maggie Hollon before the Lady Spartans called time again.
From that point, it would take a bit longer than expected for a winner of game one to emerge. Homestead would score the next two points to tie the game at 24 and extend the match. The teams continued their opening set battle, with the Lady Tigers finally finishing off a 27-25 opening-game win with a block.
Like the first set, Homestead began the second with a 2-0 lead, this time off of two aces. Also like the first game, Warsaw was able to battle back and get out in front not long after, with Melaina Hawblitzel putting her team on top with an ace of her own. Each team was able to benefit from some costly mistakes of the other in game two, as suddenly serving became an issue for both sides, both sending and returning.

Warsaw head coach Chandra Hepler reacts to senior Melaina Hawblitzel's bump during the first set of Monday night's home match against Homestead. Photo by Gary Nieter

Once again, the teams found themselves engaged in a back and forth battle. The intensity continued to build and build as the score remained tight as points continued to pile up. Every once in a while one side would go up by two, just for the other to come right back. Homestead would give fans a chance to catch their breath after an Ellie Hepler ace, calling timeout with the Lady Tigers up 17-15.
Following the break, Warsaw extended its lead to three, the largest for either side up to this point. The Lady Spartans wouldn’t let the deficit grow any larger though, coming back to tie the game at 19. It looked as if it might take more than 25 points to determine a victor once more, and that would be the case. The Lady Tigers had the opportunity to put the game away up 24-23, but could not seal the deal. Homestead would come back and win the set 26-24 to tie the match up at 1-1.
After razor-thin margins over the first two games, the third did not have that same energy to start. The visitors came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 5-1 lead early in the set, forcing the Lady Tigers to burn a quick timeout. Things did not get much better afterwards, as the Lady Spartans continued to roll and extend their lead, now to eight. Trailing 11-3, Warsaw would be forced to use its second and final timeout of the set.
The home side would momentarily stop the bleeding, trimming the Homestead lead down to five, but that would be as close as Warsaw would get. The visitors, once plagued with serving issues, were now using it as a weapon, racking up aces and extending their lead. The Lady Spartans would cruise to victory in game three, pulling away for a 25-13 win to come within a set of winning the match.
The Lady Tigers looked much better to begin set four, as play became ultra-competitive once again. It remained that way until the 8-5 mark, with Homestead extending its lead to three, the largest advantage so far in the fourth game. The Lady Tigers would call timeout and reassess.
While Warsaw would inch closer and remain in striking distance, Homestead worked to stay in front, climbing closer to 25 and giving the home side less real estate to work with. Kenzie Chivington would finally put her team in front at 12-11 with an ace, but the Lady Spartans would answer with four straight to go right back in front.
Trailing 20-16 after the team’s final timeout of the game, Warsaw battled hard but was unable to get much closer. Homestead was able to put the finishing touches on a 25-19 win to win the match.
Hollon led Warsaw with 12 kills. The Lady Tigers will try to snap their skid Thursday night against perennial sectional opponent Penn.

Warsaw Volleyball Drops Close Contest To Homestead

Warsaw Distance Running Future on Display at NHMLC …

Grace Volleyball Beats No. 7 Wildcats In Five-Set …

Can Connor Cover? The Bigger The Villain, The Better …

Local High School Football Previews For Week 7