Warsaw Starts Strong But Can’t Finish Off Penn
August 26, 2022 at 2:24 a.m.
Warsaw Starts Strong But Can’t Finish Off Penn
By Connor McCann-
Perhaps fueled by a 2-1 win for the junior varsity team, The Tigers came out hot to start the match. Crisp ball movement and perfectly timed passed paved the way for an early 6-1 Warsaw lead.
After an early timeout, Penn would answer back with eight straight points to take a small lead. Freshman Ellie Hepler would serve an ace to the tie the game at nine, kick starting a Warsaw run to answer the Kingsmen. The Tigers would get their lead up to 19-11 before winning the first set 25-14 in dominant fashion.
Riding the momentum, Warsaw would hold the lead for a majority of the second set. Senior Kaylee Weeks had a few big kills to get the crowd fired up. Weeks finished the night leading the team with 14. Towards the end of the set, every point had the crowd on the edge of its seat. Both teams fought valiantly on each point to keep the ball in the air. The Tigers would remain in control and hold on to a 25-17 second set victory.
Whatever was working for Warsaw in the first two sets was absent in the third. A much more closely contested game, the two teams traded points all the way up to 9-9. After Warsaw took its first two-point lead at 11-9, Penn would answer back with run to get to 14-11 and eventually to 22-16. The Tigers would make a valiant effort to come back, getting the score to 22-21 and tying it up at 23. But Penn would secure the final two points of the set to take it 25-23.
With momentum now on its side, Penn would find the same separation in set four. Taking a four point lead halfway through the set and holding on to it for most of the game, the Kingsmen would force a winner-take-all game five with a 25-16 victory.
With the Tigers’ confidence draining, Penn took advantage and finished off its comeback, winning the fifth set 15-10. The Kingsmen looked to win the fifth set by even more, but a couple of big kills by junior Melaina Hawblitzel and blocks by junior Leah Henderson kept the Warsaw momentum alive.
The Tigers play their next game Saturday at the Plymouth Tournament.
Perhaps fueled by a 2-1 win for the junior varsity team, The Tigers came out hot to start the match. Crisp ball movement and perfectly timed passed paved the way for an early 6-1 Warsaw lead.
After an early timeout, Penn would answer back with eight straight points to take a small lead. Freshman Ellie Hepler would serve an ace to the tie the game at nine, kick starting a Warsaw run to answer the Kingsmen. The Tigers would get their lead up to 19-11 before winning the first set 25-14 in dominant fashion.
Riding the momentum, Warsaw would hold the lead for a majority of the second set. Senior Kaylee Weeks had a few big kills to get the crowd fired up. Weeks finished the night leading the team with 14. Towards the end of the set, every point had the crowd on the edge of its seat. Both teams fought valiantly on each point to keep the ball in the air. The Tigers would remain in control and hold on to a 25-17 second set victory.
Whatever was working for Warsaw in the first two sets was absent in the third. A much more closely contested game, the two teams traded points all the way up to 9-9. After Warsaw took its first two-point lead at 11-9, Penn would answer back with run to get to 14-11 and eventually to 22-16. The Tigers would make a valiant effort to come back, getting the score to 22-21 and tying it up at 23. But Penn would secure the final two points of the set to take it 25-23.
With momentum now on its side, Penn would find the same separation in set four. Taking a four point lead halfway through the set and holding on to it for most of the game, the Kingsmen would force a winner-take-all game five with a 25-16 victory.
With the Tigers’ confidence draining, Penn took advantage and finished off its comeback, winning the fifth set 15-10. The Kingsmen looked to win the fifth set by even more, but a couple of big kills by junior Melaina Hawblitzel and blocks by junior Leah Henderson kept the Warsaw momentum alive.
The Tigers play their next game Saturday at the Plymouth Tournament.
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