HEBRON | Serving was key in the first round of the girls volleyball sectional tournament Thursday night. Winamac defeated Boone Grove in four games, 25-15, 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, after having 14 serving aces.
Winamac got off to a fast start in Game 1, taking a 10-3 lead early. After a Winamac serving ace, Boone Grove found themselves down 17-9. Boone Grove was able to pull within 5 at 20-15 after a Hannah Dragomer kill. Winamac would take Game 1, 25-15.
The Wolves responded in Game 2 and went on an 8-2 run to take a 14-11 lead after an Emma Foster kill. Foster had eight kills to lead the Wolves. Boone Grove (14-14) kept their lead to win Game 2, 25-22.
"We got out of sync (in the second game)," Winamac coach Cathy DeFries said. "Boone Grove did a good job at keeping the ball in play."
Game 3 saw the Warriors take a 7-3 lead after an Erin Knorr kill, and would extend their lead to 15-9. Ahead 23-14, two serving aces by Knorr gave the Warriors a 25-14 win. Knorr had four serving aces on the night.
Winamac jumped out to a 5-1 lead after another Knorr kill, and would go on a 7-2 run to take a 12-4 lead. Boone Grove was able to chip away at the Warrior's lead to make it a 2-point game, 18-16 after a Foster kill.
Katy Anspach's service ace put the Warriors up 23-18, and would win Game 4 with a 25-22 score. Anspach led the Warriors (24-10) with 11 kills and six serving aces and Knorr added eight kills.
"We just played up and down," Boone Grove coach Linda Eleftheri said. "I thought in the first game we were intimidated, then took control in the second game. We couldn't regain control in the third game, and in the fourth game we hung in there but couldn't get things to do our way."
Morgan Marshall added three kills for the Wolves, and Nicole Malouhos had three blocks.
In the second game of the night, North Judson-San Pierre swept Hebron in three games, 25-15, 25-19, 26-16.
"They played really well together," North Judson coach Miranda Howard said. "They passed the ball well too, and it was just our nigh tonight."
The Blue Jays jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the Game 1 after a Kayla Zimmerman kill. Hebron put together a 4-1 run to cut North Judson's lead to 11-7 after two Lauren Carlson kills. Carlson led the Hawks with seven. North Judson would take Game 1 25-15.
North Judson had a 13-10 lead and rattled off five straight points to take an 18-10 lead. Hebron tried to respond, and cut the Blue Jays lead to 22-18, and the Blue Jays would eventually win 25-19.
"This is our third time playing North Judson, and we played tougher this third time against them compared to the two previous times," Hebron coach Kelly Dickensheets said.
Game 3 saw North Judson take an early 6-4 lead after two Kayla Zimmerman serving aces. At 12-9, the Blue Jays went on a 10-2 run to take a 22-11 lead. Hebron tried to rally, going on a short 5-1 run, but a Jordann Frasure kill won the game at 25-16.
Zimmerman had nine kills and two serving aces to lead North Judson. Laura Bailey added five kills for the Blue Jays (25-8), and the team had 10 serving aces.
Sydney Marrs added three kills had two blocks for Hebron (11-14).
"We were short handed tonight, we only had one senior on the floor," Dickensheets said. "Going against a good team like North Judson, we have them our best effort."
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