NEW MADISON – Tri-Village hosted Bradford in Cross County Conference volleyball action Thursday night and won in four sets.
The Patriots were in complete control in the first two sets, winning 25-15 and then jumping out to a 21-12 lead in the second set before the Railroaders put together a little run of their own. But the Patriots closed out the set by the score of 25-18.
The third set saw Bradford come to life in a set neither team could pull away from by more than two points. Bradford would end up winning it 26-24 to send it to a fourth set.
“We changed it up a little bit in the middle … but I have to give credit to Bradford, they just came out swinging and they were hitting,” Tri-Village coach Eric Burkhart said. “The first couple of sets they were hitting out, but I give them all the credit for picking it up, and we just didn’t.”
“We got some momentum back in the third set,” Bradford volleyball coach Maddie Armstrong said. “We tried a different lineup and trying some new things and got on a roll.
“Our senior captain, Mandi Bates, has been a superb player for us all year, and tonight she hit it well and found good spots on the floor. Not only is she a good player, she is a phenomenal leader,” Armstrong said.
The Patriots were all business in the final set, winning it going away 25-11.
“I was really impressed tonight with Bri Lipps,” Burkhart said. “She has really stepped it up for this team lately, and tonight she was doing anything we asked her to do. If I ask her to set, she sets, and I’ve been impressed her all around play.
“Also, Abbi Lipps has been playing well. She is a freshman and is going to be a really good setter for us in the future,” Burkhart concluded.
Tri-Village improved to to 5-11 overall and 3-6 in the conference and will take on Russia Saturday.
Bradford fell to 0-14 overall and 0-8 in the conference and will face Fort Recovery on Monday.
