WABASH - The Manchester Squires looked like a completely different volleyball team than they did two weeks ago.

In fact, they surprised many of the spectators at SouthWood High School when they sent the sectional game against North Miami into a third game. However, North Miami outlasted Manchester, 17-15, 9-15, 15-8 and advanced to Saturday's sectional final.

Manchester and North Miami battled back and forth for the first five points, but then the Warriors started to pull away. The Squires looked as if they were finished when North Miami built a 13-6 lead, but Manchester refused to give in.

The Squires staged a slow but steady comeback, and with a 14-9 Warrior lead, Jessica Hicks stepped up to serve. She led Manchester to five straight Squire points to tie the score at 14. The excitement got to Hicks, however, as she overpowered the sixth serve and sent it wide and long.

North Miami could not take advantage of the break as a serving error gave possession back to the Squires. Megan Goshert served up one point to give Manchester its first lead since 5-3, and the Squire crowd went wild.

The excitement was short-lived as North Miami's Christena Crippen served up the last three points of the first game to give the Warriors a 17-15 win.

"In game one, we got the lead but we let them come back," said North Miami coach Steve Linn. "I am pleased with the way we regrouped to win 17-15."

"We tend to come out flat," said Manchester coach Jessica Tate. "We've been fighting the ups and downs all season long. The girls did a good job of overcoming that in the first game"

Manchester stepped up in the second game. Possession see-sawed back and forth until the score was tied at 4-4. Then Manchester's Mandy Phillips sparked the Squires by serving four staright points to give Manchester an 8-4 advantage that they would not relinquish.

North Miami got as close as one point, 8-7, but Manchester would not allow them to take the lead. The Squires came out on top 15-9 and sent the match into a third game.

"In game two, they came out to play," said Linn. "Then they got a run of points and beat us."

In the final game, Manchester took an early 2-1 lead, but North Miami overpowered the Squires and slowly built a 10-2 lead one point at a time. Manchester got as close as 13-8 but could not overcome the deficit and fell 15-8.

"There was a definite momentum shift in game three," said Linn. "They helped us a little bit, and we came out with a win."

"We came into the sectional with the a whole new attitude," said Tate. "We played hard, but unfortunately it didn't pay off. The girls played with all the heart you could ask of them. Unfortunately, we just didn't make it."

SOUTHWOOD VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL

NORTH MIAMI def. MANCHESTER 17-15, 9-15, 15-8

Manchester leaders -ÊJenny Brubaker 10 kills, 7 blocks; Ann Harms 14 blocks, 4 kills; Carrie White 11 kills, 11 blocks; Jennifer Jester 11 asssists, 4 aces; Jessica Hicks 3 aces, 6 kills, 10 blocks; Megan Goshert 3 kills, 6 digs, 2 aces.

Manchester record -Ê6-24.

North Miami stats were not available. [[In-content Ad]]