Lady Tigers Take Out Frustration On Whitko
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Host Warsaw (6-2) jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first game and a 14-5 lead in the second, eventually taking the three-game match, 25-9, 25-7, 25-23 Tuesday in the Tiger Den.[[In-content Ad]]"We were pretty focused after losing on Thursday (at Memorial)," Warsaw coach Mike Howard said. "It was tough for Whitko to come in here and play, because you knew our girls were going to play well tonight. That was a nice step in the right direction for our program - to see us come out and play hard not just in big matches, but in every match. That's a big step in the right direction."
Senior Madison Long stood out in the win, leading the Lady Tigers with 23 assists, four blocks and four aces, while also adding five kills.
"She's starting to put the ball in a better location, and not just throw it to the four (spot) as fast as she can," Howard said. "That will work against some teams, but against strong teams, they're going to be there (to defend). We keep telling her it's more important to locate the ball than to hit it with velocity. It doesn't matter if you're hitting or tipping."
Senior Natalie Decker led Warsaw with nine kills, while sophomore Alex Sanchez had 14 digs and Krista Bragg finished the match with nine digs and six kills.
"I thought our passing was much improved tonight," Howard said. "They had some decent serves tonight, and we handled it. That's the key for us. What we do on our side of the net. If we receive the ball, we're a very difficult team to play against. If we don't receive the ball, all those big hitters we have end up standing around."
After being dominated in the first two games, getting consecutive points just once, things got a little better for Whitko the third game.
"The first half of the match, there was one team out there," Whitko coach Doug West said. "Then, in the second half of the match, there was another team out there. We played much better the second half of the match. It made it a lot more exciting, longer rallies."
Whitko was led by senior Rachelle Kessie's two kills, while junior Karissa Olinske finished with a team-high eight digs and senior Stephanie Camden and Kessie each had five.
"Hats off to Warsaw," West said. "The reason we were so sluggish in the first half of the match was because of their ball handling and their serving."
Playing with three starters and three subs, Warsaw actually trailed the third game 15-11, until Bragg posted a kill, which turned the serve to Long. With her team still trailing 15-12, Long served three-straight aces, and four in a 6-0 Tigers run, turning the game back in Warsaw's favor.
"We're working hard, we're trying to get better," West said. "We're young in some spots and we're a smaller team, so we really need to ball handle well and serve tough.
Both teams are in action Thursday, as Warsaw travels to Goshen and Whitko will be at North Miami.
WARSAW DEF. WHITKO 25-7, 25-9, 25-23
Kills - Natalie Decker (War) 9, Krista Bragg (War) 6, Madison Long (War) 5, Emily Umbaugh (War), Rachelle Kessie (Whi) 2
Assists - Long (War) 23, Meghan Peters (Whi) 3
Digs - Alex Sanchez (War) 14, Bragg (War) 9, Karissa Olinske (Whi) 8, Stephanie Camden (Whi) 5, Kessie (Whi) 5
Blocks - Long (War) 4
Aces - Long (War) 4, Andi Frazzetta (War) 3, Sarah Johnson (War) 3, Olinske (War) 2
Records: Warsaw 6-2, Whitko 2-6
JV - Warsaw def. Whitko 25-18, 25-11
(JV Stats)
Kills - Chandler Stevens (War) 6, Jamie Lacheta (War) 5
Blocks - Chloe Hubner (War) 2
Aces - Emily Poe (War) 5
Assists - Hubner (War) 21, Jenny Brown (Whi) 2
Digs - Kayla Snider (War) 2, Amanda Shepherd (Whi) 2, Hannah Cokl (Whi) 2
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Host Warsaw (6-2) jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first game and a 14-5 lead in the second, eventually taking the three-game match, 25-9, 25-7, 25-23 Tuesday in the Tiger Den.[[In-content Ad]]"We were pretty focused after losing on Thursday (at Memorial)," Warsaw coach Mike Howard said. "It was tough for Whitko to come in here and play, because you knew our girls were going to play well tonight. That was a nice step in the right direction for our program - to see us come out and play hard not just in big matches, but in every match. That's a big step in the right direction."
Senior Madison Long stood out in the win, leading the Lady Tigers with 23 assists, four blocks and four aces, while also adding five kills.
"She's starting to put the ball in a better location, and not just throw it to the four (spot) as fast as she can," Howard said. "That will work against some teams, but against strong teams, they're going to be there (to defend). We keep telling her it's more important to locate the ball than to hit it with velocity. It doesn't matter if you're hitting or tipping."
Senior Natalie Decker led Warsaw with nine kills, while sophomore Alex Sanchez had 14 digs and Krista Bragg finished the match with nine digs and six kills.
"I thought our passing was much improved tonight," Howard said. "They had some decent serves tonight, and we handled it. That's the key for us. What we do on our side of the net. If we receive the ball, we're a very difficult team to play against. If we don't receive the ball, all those big hitters we have end up standing around."
After being dominated in the first two games, getting consecutive points just once, things got a little better for Whitko the third game.
"The first half of the match, there was one team out there," Whitko coach Doug West said. "Then, in the second half of the match, there was another team out there. We played much better the second half of the match. It made it a lot more exciting, longer rallies."
Whitko was led by senior Rachelle Kessie's two kills, while junior Karissa Olinske finished with a team-high eight digs and senior Stephanie Camden and Kessie each had five.
"Hats off to Warsaw," West said. "The reason we were so sluggish in the first half of the match was because of their ball handling and their serving."
Playing with three starters and three subs, Warsaw actually trailed the third game 15-11, until Bragg posted a kill, which turned the serve to Long. With her team still trailing 15-12, Long served three-straight aces, and four in a 6-0 Tigers run, turning the game back in Warsaw's favor.
"We're working hard, we're trying to get better," West said. "We're young in some spots and we're a smaller team, so we really need to ball handle well and serve tough.
Both teams are in action Thursday, as Warsaw travels to Goshen and Whitko will be at North Miami.
WARSAW DEF. WHITKO 25-7, 25-9, 25-23
Kills - Natalie Decker (War) 9, Krista Bragg (War) 6, Madison Long (War) 5, Emily Umbaugh (War), Rachelle Kessie (Whi) 2
Assists - Long (War) 23, Meghan Peters (Whi) 3
Digs - Alex Sanchez (War) 14, Bragg (War) 9, Karissa Olinske (Whi) 8, Stephanie Camden (Whi) 5, Kessie (Whi) 5
Blocks - Long (War) 4
Aces - Long (War) 4, Andi Frazzetta (War) 3, Sarah Johnson (War) 3, Olinske (War) 2
Records: Warsaw 6-2, Whitko 2-6
JV - Warsaw def. Whitko 25-18, 25-11
(JV Stats)
Kills - Chandler Stevens (War) 6, Jamie Lacheta (War) 5
Blocks - Chloe Hubner (War) 2
Aces - Emily Poe (War) 5
Assists - Hubner (War) 21, Jenny Brown (Whi) 2
Digs - Kayla Snider (War) 2, Amanda Shepherd (Whi) 2, Hannah Cokl (Whi) 2
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