By Drew Terhall

DailyAdvocate.com

NEW MADISON — Cross country wasn’t the only event to go the distance at Tri-Village High School on Tuesday. Franklin Monroe High School volleyball went into Tri-Village and won in five sets on Sept. 27.

The match was like a game of tug-of-war. The momentum in the match kept going back and forth in each set.

Franklin Monroe head coach Angie Filbrun said she told her team they had to be prepared to battle the whole game.

“My front row players, they (Tri-Village) had some great blocking and we had to figure it out and we did,” Filbrun said. “Our offense worked hard, figured out where we needed to go and what we needed to do. Our serving game was on point. It was a good game for us.”

The teams split the first two sets. The Lady Jets won the first set 25-23 and the Lady Patriots won the second set 25-23. Both teams had their offense finding spots in critical times and had great serves to get them critical points.

The third set was won by Franklin Monroe, 25-19. It was the largest margin of victory for either team. It seemed like the Lady Jets had Tri-Village figured out and could win it in four.

The Lady Patriots didn’t lose their confidence. In the fourth set, Franklin Monroe had the lead for most of the set. Late in the set, Franklin Monroe was up 22-18.

Head coach Chris Brewer said his seniors Morgan Hunt and Halle Bell stepped up for the team. Bell was a force in front of the net and was aggressive. She kept the Lady Jets’ front line players alert and put some stress on their defense.

Brewer said Hunt came up big in the final three sets. She was able to get some kills that helped keep Tri-Village in the game. Hunt was also the vocal leader on the court. She was the one encouraging her team to lock in and keep fighting.

Tri-Village took the fourth set, 25-22 and set up their second consecutive fifth set match. They went five sets in a match at Northeastern High School on Sept. 26.

The Lady Patriots couldn’t keep their momentum going into the fifth set. Franklin Monroe came out firing and won the set, 15-10.

“We couldn’t get on some runs when we needed to. There were certain things tonight that we were just missing. Serve receive, at times, needed consistency hitting the ball at the net,” Brewer said.

Filbrun said her libero Layni Norris was flying around the court, picking up almost every ball to help the team win. Norris had 41 digs in the match.

She also noted how front line player Rebecca Gilmore has been playing with a lot of confidence that has led to helping the team win. Gilmore led the team with 21 kills and had a block.

For Tri-Village, their setter Shelby Mintekenbaugh helped keep the Lady Patriot’s offense on track and flowing. In a match against Bluffton on Sept. 24 during a tournament in Minster, she recorded her 1,000 career assist. She has been the team’s setter for two seasons now.

Mintekenbaugh is not a natural setter. Brewer said she is naturally a defensive specialist and she wants to play that position in college. Mintekenbaugh has accepted her role and has done everything she can to be the best setter she can be.

“She’s went above and beyond, out of her way, to be our setter. I can’t give her enough credit. She works hard out there, she’s gives it her all,” Brewer said. “You see her on the floor probably the most out of anybody chasing the ball down. For somebody to be playing out of position, in a position that’s not their first love, she works hard,”

The Lady Patriots will take a day off after playing eight matches in the last eight days. They will come back on Sept. 29 and travel to take on Bradford. Tri-Village is 11-6 on the season with a 6-2 conference record.

For Franklin Monroe, they are 12-6 on the season with a 6-2 conference record. They will host Arcanum on Sept. 29.

Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]