NorthWood Volleyball Team Has Little Trouble With Tigers

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer-

NAPPANEE -ÊThe NorthWood Panthers played some of their best volleyball of the year Thursday night.

The Warsaw Tigers did not.

The Tigers picked a bad night to play a less-than-stellar valleyball game. Not only is NorthWood a Northern Lakes Conference opponent, the Panthers are the defending regional champions.

"We didn't show up to play tonight," said Warsaw coach Tanya Coon. "The whole game there was not one person who showed up to play. You pick it, offensively, defensively, it was all bad."

Warsaw's Amie Poling led the Tigers to the first point of the game. That gave the Tigers what would be their only lead of the game, 1-0.

After Jessica Yoder served a trio of points, Warsaw tied the score at three. Then NorthWood began to build its lead.

Carol Duncan, who had one of her best games of the season, served up four points in a row to increase the Panther lead to 11-3. Warsaw fought back to score four more points behind Kara Kesler, Kyla Stanley and Kristen DeGeeter. But the Tigers could not overcome the NorthWood lead as the Panthers came out on top, 15-7.

Duncan started the second game much like she played in the first. Following several possession changes, Duncan stepped to the service line and led NorthWood to a 4-0 lead over Warsaw. After a Kesler serve led to a Warsaw point, NorthWood's Amy Hughes led the Panthers to two more points and a 6-1 advantage.

Duncan would lead the NorthWood squad to two more points later in the game, and eventually NorthWood came out on top, 15-8.

"This was probably the best team effort we have had all season," said NorthWood coach Peg Bough. "We were consistent and every players' game was on tonight. The girls were really anticipating the ball."

The Panthers used their rivalry with Warsaw to motivate the entire team.

"They were excited to play Warsaw," said Bough. "It was one of our goals to play well against the Tigers."

NorthWood improves its season mark to 16-9 overall and 4-1 in the NLC, while Warsaw is now 13-11 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

NORTHWOOD def. WARSAW 15-7, 15-8

Warsaw Leaders

Serves -ÊKristen DeGeeter 2, Kyla Stanley 1, Nerecia Taylor 1

Kills -ÊLindsay Woods 12, Kristen DeGeeter 6, Kara Kesler 3

Blocks -ÊKara Kesler 8, Nerecia Taylor 8, Lindsay Woods 6

Assists -ÊAmie Poling 25

Digs -ÊAmie Poling 8, Kristen DeGeeter 4, Kara Kesler 4, Andrea Saldivar 4

Records -ÊWarsaw 13-11, 1-3 NLC; NorthWood 16-9, 4-1

JV -ÊWARSAW def. NORTHWOOD 10-15, 15-5, 15-3

Warsaw record - 15-2

Warsaw NLC record -Ê5-0

Warsaw Leaders

Serves -ÊAbby Sumpter 10 points, 1 ace; Ashley Hart 9 points, 2 aces; Hilary O'Connell 8 points, 1 ace.

Kills -ÊJanna Knisely 13, Amber Barrett 6, Ashley Hart 5

Blocks -ÊMyra Sells 2 solo

Assists -ÊAbby Sumpter 15, Leah Kiphart 10

Digs -ÊAbby Sumpter 7, Amber Barrett 6, Ashley Hart 6, Lindsay Simcoe 6 [[In-content Ad]]

NAPPANEE -ÊThe NorthWood Panthers played some of their best volleyball of the year Thursday night.

The Warsaw Tigers did not.

The Tigers picked a bad night to play a less-than-stellar valleyball game. Not only is NorthWood a Northern Lakes Conference opponent, the Panthers are the defending regional champions.

"We didn't show up to play tonight," said Warsaw coach Tanya Coon. "The whole game there was not one person who showed up to play. You pick it, offensively, defensively, it was all bad."

Warsaw's Amie Poling led the Tigers to the first point of the game. That gave the Tigers what would be their only lead of the game, 1-0.

After Jessica Yoder served a trio of points, Warsaw tied the score at three. Then NorthWood began to build its lead.

Carol Duncan, who had one of her best games of the season, served up four points in a row to increase the Panther lead to 11-3. Warsaw fought back to score four more points behind Kara Kesler, Kyla Stanley and Kristen DeGeeter. But the Tigers could not overcome the NorthWood lead as the Panthers came out on top, 15-7.

Duncan started the second game much like she played in the first. Following several possession changes, Duncan stepped to the service line and led NorthWood to a 4-0 lead over Warsaw. After a Kesler serve led to a Warsaw point, NorthWood's Amy Hughes led the Panthers to two more points and a 6-1 advantage.

Duncan would lead the NorthWood squad to two more points later in the game, and eventually NorthWood came out on top, 15-8.

"This was probably the best team effort we have had all season," said NorthWood coach Peg Bough. "We were consistent and every players' game was on tonight. The girls were really anticipating the ball."

The Panthers used their rivalry with Warsaw to motivate the entire team.

"They were excited to play Warsaw," said Bough. "It was one of our goals to play well against the Tigers."

NorthWood improves its season mark to 16-9 overall and 4-1 in the NLC, while Warsaw is now 13-11 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

NORTHWOOD def. WARSAW 15-7, 15-8

Warsaw Leaders

Serves -ÊKristen DeGeeter 2, Kyla Stanley 1, Nerecia Taylor 1

Kills -ÊLindsay Woods 12, Kristen DeGeeter 6, Kara Kesler 3

Blocks -ÊKara Kesler 8, Nerecia Taylor 8, Lindsay Woods 6

Assists -ÊAmie Poling 25

Digs -ÊAmie Poling 8, Kristen DeGeeter 4, Kara Kesler 4, Andrea Saldivar 4

Records -ÊWarsaw 13-11, 1-3 NLC; NorthWood 16-9, 4-1

JV -ÊWARSAW def. NORTHWOOD 10-15, 15-5, 15-3

Warsaw record - 15-2

Warsaw NLC record -Ê5-0

Warsaw Leaders

Serves -ÊAbby Sumpter 10 points, 1 ace; Ashley Hart 9 points, 2 aces; Hilary O'Connell 8 points, 1 ace.

Kills -ÊJanna Knisely 13, Amber Barrett 6, Ashley Hart 5

Blocks -ÊMyra Sells 2 solo

Assists -ÊAbby Sumpter 15, Leah Kiphart 10

Digs -ÊAbby Sumpter 7, Amber Barrett 6, Ashley Hart 6, Lindsay Simcoe 6 [[In-content Ad]]

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