MOUNT VERNON — The Fredericktown and Highland High School volleyball teams will have a rematch on Wednesday night. The two teams advanced in the Division III Central District tournament on Saturday at Big Walnut High School.
Highland had a relatively easy time beating Horizon Science Academy. The Scots put down the Hawks in three games, 25-3, 25-4, 25-4.
The Freddies, meanwhile, had their hands full with the Lakewood Lancers. Lakewood took Fredericktown to five games, but the Freddies pulled out a 23-25, 25-22, 21-25, 27-25, 15-13 victory.
“We matched up player to player really well,” said Fredericktown coach Marilyn Rutherford. “It was a good matchup between us and Lakewood. It was the second time, other than our loss to Hopewell-Loudon, that we lost our first game. It is rare to play the whole season and go into tournament and have your first tournament game be this tough. This is territory were we haven’t been for a long time. Our girls did a nice job of rising to the occasion and come back in that second game. It was crazy. We were just hanging in there.
“It was a challenge point-by-point. It was fun — I can say that since we came out as winners. It was a test.”
Mackenzie Logan led the Freddies (18-1) with 28 kills, 15 digs, one block and six points. Kate Newkirk added 17 kills, 13 digs, six blocks and 12 points; Courtney Briegel finished with 12 kills, 23 digs and 16 points; Lyndsey Briegel had three kills, three blocks, six digs and 16 points; Lauren Stump finished with 65 assists, 13 digs and one point; Danielle Goeppinger added 14 digs and seven points; and libero Courtney Jones finished with 11 digs.
“We kept hitting, kept trying to get as much offense as we could,” said Rutherford. “It was nothing but gutsy plays. It was basic volleyball. We just tried to play as much power volleyball as we could. We had some key digs off Lakewood’s strong hits, and our serving started to sort itself out.”
The two teams met on Aug. 25, with Fredericktown taking the victory in four games, 22-25, 25-21, 25-18, 28-26.
“We didn’t see much of Highland against Horizon since Highland kind of took charge of that game, but what I’ve been hearing about Highland is they have definitely improved,” Rutherford said. “We will be trying to sharpen up what we are doing and keep everyone healthy. My girls are definitely excited so the motivation is already there. It was exciting to win a match like that over Lakewood. Hopefully, that carries over against Highland.”
The winner advances to the Division III District final to play either Heath or West Jefferson on Saturday. Wednesday’s district semifinal will begin at 6 p.m. at Hilliard Darby High School.
Marion Pleasant knocked Northridge out of the Division III tournament on Saturday as well, winning in three games, 25-14, 25-10, 25-13.
In Division IV Central District volleyball play on Saturday, the Delaware Christian Eagles ended the Danville Blue Devils’ season after just one postseason match. The Eagles defeated the Blue Devils in five games, 19-25, 25-20, 12-25, 25-18, 15-11, at Olentangy Liberty High School.
For Danville (13-10), the loss was very disappointing.
“We had a lot of high hopes going in,” Danville coach Michelle Crawford said. “There is no reason why we should have lost. We shouldn’t have lost, plain and simple. I don’t think that we played to the best of our ability. Our back row was just not there; they didn’t play well. Our hitters were hitting and our setter was moving all over the floor, but our back row was not passing the ball for nothing.”
Despite the loss, the 2008 season was an improvement for the Blue Devils.
“We do have some momentum for next year,” said Crawford. “We have improved, and we will keep improving. We’ll make the changes we need to make to get us to where we need to be. I’m very happy with our season. There were a couple of games that we let slip through the cracks. ... I feel we did everything we could do. I’m looking forward to next year.”
