BROOKVILLE – The Versailles Lady Tigers played the late match Monday night against No. 4 seed Northwestern, whom they sent home in the dark with a three-set sweep, 25-17, 25-16 and 25-16
The Tigers now will play in the sectional finals at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Brookville against West Liberty-Salem, the No. 3 seed who barely eked out a victory against the Arcanum Trojans in five sets. The winner advances to the districts at 11 a.m. Oct. 31 in Tipp City against the Mariemont sectional winner.
Versailles started the first set off with a 1-0 lead, and this was a lead that the Tigers would never relinquish. The Tigers built on the lead for a 10-6 score and then proceeded to outpoint the Warriors 6-3 for a commanding 16-9 advantage. The Warriors closed to within 19-15 before falling to the offensive-minded Tigers, 25-17.
The second set saw Coach Karla Frilling’s squad fall briefly behind 2-1 before reeling off seven straight points to escalate the scoreboard to read 8-2 with outstanding net play and serving prowess.
The Clark County squad made like Clark Kent and flew around the court with some super digs and kills to get back into the game at 9-7. However, the Versailles girls had Northwestern’s Kryptonite with kills by the net girls of Taylor Tyo, Lauren Monnin, Elizabeth Ording, Kami Ording and Danielle Winner to enhance their lead by scoring 10 of the next 13 points to go up 19-10. The No. 4 seed Northwestern squad could get no closer than eight points before bowing out 25-16.
Facing a two-set deficit, the Warriors were on the war path to close the gap and came out with all their arsenal of shots to go up 6-5. The Tigers clawed back with inspiring play by Marisa Turpen and Kristin Langston, who kept digging the ball out to keep it in constant play to retake the lead, 10-6.
Coach Frilling’s group sent the Warriors off the beaten path by torching the nets for nine of the next 12 points to take a commanding 19-10 advantage. The Clark County contingent could get no closer than seven points the rest of the way, falling 25-16 to close out the match.
“’It was a great win for us, and I am excited for the girls who definitely earned this victory and the right to play for the sectional title,” Frilling said.
Kami McEldowney with five digs in the victory, Turpen had six digs, Kami Ording had four kills, Monnin had seven digs and six kills, Langston had 10 digs, Peters had 27 assists, Elizabeth Ording had six kills and four blocks, Tyo had seven kills, and Winner had six kills.
