VOLLEYBALL: Pioneers end Floyd’s sectional title streak

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

NEW ALBANY – Entering the Class 4A New Albany Sectional semifinal Oct. 14 at The Doghouse, Floyd Central was determined to keep its four-year sectional championship streak alive.

The Highlanders claimed the first set against archrival Providence 25-15. But the defending Class 3A state runner-up Pioneers responded by taking the final three sets and the match 25-17, 25-18 and 25-20. Providence moved up to Class 4A this season because of the IHSAA’s success-factor rule.

With the Pioneers (34-1) up 9-8 in the opening set, Floyd Central (24-11) scored six consecutive points to take a five-point lead. The closest Providence got after that was four points.

“That might have been the best set of volleyball I’ve ever coached,” Highlanders’ head coach Bart Powell said.

After the first set, Pioneers’ head coach Terri Purichia had a talk with her team in The Doghouse’s foyer area.

“I said, ‘Everybody has a game plan. They have a game plan and we have a game plan. They’re successful in executing theirs and you are not,’” Purichia said. “I said, ‘My team did not show up. They did not come out of the locker room. There is no reason for you to be scared. You have to execute your game plan.’”

The Pioneers proved they received Purichia’s message loud and clear.

After falling behind 4-1 in the second set, Providence produced a 12-1 run to go up 13-5. The largest the Pioneers’ lead got in Set 2 was 10 points at 20-10.

In the third set with the score tied at 12, Providence took control with eight points in a row to take a 20-12 advantage. The closest Floyd Central got after that was six.

The Highlanders looked like they were going to force a fifth set as they held a 15-11 lead in Set 4. But with Floyd up 17-14, the Pioneers went on an 8-1 spurt to grab a 22-18 advantage.

“I knew that we would start out strong without question and we did,” Powell said. “But my fear was toward the end of (the first) set that we weren’t going to be able to keep that pace up. They got into a good serving groove.”

Purichia thought more aggressive serving by the Pioneers turned the tables for them.

“In the first set, we didn’t serve very well. We didn’t make any errors, but we didn’t serve as aggressively as we needed to to keep them out of their system,” Purichia said. “We just had to pick up our pace a little and I think we did that. It was just a really great match and a battle. It was fun to be a part of.”

Sophomore middle hitter Courtney Glotzbach led the Pioneers with 16 kills and four blocks. Providence senior Marissa Hornung wound up with 13 kills and seven digs.

Junior Hanna Mitchell was the third Providence player with double-digit kills with 10. Pioneer freshman Ali Hornung, Marissa’s sister, had nine kills and four blocks. Providence setter Lilly Bivens distributed 43 assists and teammate Ceci Rush served four aces.

Floyd senior outside hitter Alexis Smith ended her high school career with a solid performance, spiking 14 kills. Smith did not play in the Highlanders’ three-set home loss to the Pioneers on Sept. 13.

Highlander junior Cassie Thomerson smacked nine kills, while Floyd Central junior setter Sara Sans dished out 41 assists. Also for Floyd, Kristen Engle made 10 digs, Mia Swearingen had five blocks and Molly Ottersbach served four aces.
The Highlander seniors were Engle, Ottersbach, Smith, Swearingen, Addie Bullock and Rachel Whitehouse.

CLASS 4A NEW ALBANY SECTIONAL

SEMIFINAL

PROVIDENCE 3, FLOYD CENTRAL 1

Providence          15  25  25  25

Floyd Central     25  17  18  20

Providence stats

Courtney Glotzbach: 16 kills, 4 blocks.

Marissa Hornung: 13 kills, 7 digs.

Hanna Mitchell: 10 kills, 2 blocks.

Ali Hornung: 13 digs, 9 kills, 4 blocks, 2 aces.

Grace Hublar: 7 digs.

Madison Kruer: 5 digs.

Lilly Bivens: 43 assists, 2 blocks.

Maggie Purichia: 3 blocks.

Ceci Rush: 4 aces.

Floyd Central stats

Sara Sans: 41 assists, 7 digs, 1 kill.

Riley Woodruff: 6 kills, 2 digs.

Mia Swearingen: 6 kills, 5 blocks, 1 dig.

Cassie Thomerson: 9 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks, 2 assists, 1 ace.

Molly Ottersbach: 7 kills, 4 aces, 3 blocks, 3 digs.

Alexis Smith: 14 kills, 2 blocks, 2 digs.

Addie Bullock: 9 digs, 1 ace.

Kamryn Plaiss: 8 digs.

Kristen Engle: 10 digs.

Kassidy Hoback: 4 digs.