Teel Powers Valley Spikers Past Triton
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
In a non-conference matchup, Teel had 20 kills in a four-game victory (25-15, 25-20, 24-26, 25-19) by the Lady Vikings, who improved to 9-5 with the win.
Dominating through the opening two games, each of Teel’s swings seemed to result in a kill, but Triton (2-3) made some adjustments by the third game, which resulted in a 26-24 win by the home team.
“Knowing we were going to see her, and knowing they liked to use her on the right side and they were really going to try to take our setter out, we really worked on our out-of-system (sets) this week,” first-year Triton coach Samantha Willsey said.
With Triton moving defenders around to dig out some of Teel’s pounding attacks, Valley went to other areas for points, which worked for the decisive 25-19 win in Game 4.
“It doesn’t take much to figure out there she’s our go-to (player),” Tippecanoe Valley coach Mallory Eaton said of Teel. “The younger kids are finally stepping up. People figure out your game plan – you normally do what you’re good at. Teams figure that out. In years past, we didn’t transition well to figure it out. We were good at our one thing, then we’d panic when we had to go to something else. These girls are finally figuring out that, ‘Hey, we can make changes. We can battle back. When they make changes, we make changes.’”
Along with Teel’s attack numbers, Valley also got kills from sophomore Abby Betten (12), junior Lexi O’Connell (11) and junior Madi Miller (8).
Also on the front line, O’Connell had a match-high six blocks, while senior Jaden Biddle led the team with 20 digs, senior Tenaya Shull had 18 assists and freshman Olivia Trippiedi shared the team lead with Teel in aces, recording three.
For a program looking to get back to its winning ways, Willsey has been looking for improvement with each match, and feels she got that against Valley.
“They’re definitely learning a lot this year,” she said. “Our focus has really been on our defense. I think we made accurate transitions and adjustments as we needed to tonight. We definitely improved with every set, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Even after falling behind 2-0, the Lady Trojans didn’t pack up shop going into the third game.
“In the huddle, I told them, ‘I want you to be obnoxiously loud in this third set. Get out there, get the momentum from the start and swing hard,’” Willsey said.
Triton built a 20-16 lead in the third game, but Valley reeled off four-straight points, leading to a timeout by Willsey.
From that point on, the two teams exchanged points until a net violation gave Triton the 26-24 win.
During that stretch, Triton junior Jaela Meister took off, recording her team’s four of her teams final five points, finishing with nine kills in the match.
“Jaela is an excellent athlete and I’m happy to use her when able,” Willsey said.
The third game victory was Triton’s only one, but Eaton feels her team got the resistance it needed.
“Triton is much improved,” she said. “A lot of the programs around here are building up, and that’s exciting. That means our area is becoming more of a volleyball area. I don’t want to play weak teams. I want to play teams that are as good or better than us.”
Along with Meister’s nine kills, she also had seven digs, while senior Krystal Sellers supplied 18 assists and six digs and junior Lauren Hostrawser posted five blocks.
“Lauren was super effective on the net, which is what I’ve been trying to draw from her,” Willsey said.
Triton hosts its annual tournament Saturday, while Valley is off until Monday’s match at Columbia City.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY DEF. TRITON 25-15, 25-20, 24-26, 25-19
Aces – Caylie Teel (TV) 3, Olivia Trippiedi (TV) 3, Madi Miller (TV) 2, Quinn Downing (Tr) 2, Nichole Sechrist (Tr) 2; Assists – Krystal Sellers (Tr) 19 Tenaya Shull (TV) 18, Maddy Henninger (TV) 13; Blocks – Lexi O’Connell (TV) 6, Lauren Hostrawser (Tr) 5, Mia Gunnels (TV) 3, Teel (3), Abby Betten (TV) 2; Digs – Jaden Biddle (TV) 20, Teel (TV) 12, Trippiedi (TV) 10, Jaela Meister (Tr) 7, Downing (Tr) 7, Sellers (Tr) 6; Kills – Teel (TV) 20, Betten (TV) 12, O’Connell (TV) 11, Meister (Tr) 9, Madi Miller (TV) 8, Becca Kennedy (Tr) 5, Sechrist (Tr) 3.
Records: Valley 9-5, Triton 2-3.
JV – Triton def. Tippy Valley 25-17, 25-19.
Triton JV Stats: Aces – Hannah Wanemacher 3, Tyana Spencer 3, Emma Ross 2, Brooklyn Bitting 2; Assists – Ross 5; Digs – Katie Hepler 8, Wanemacher 4; Kills – Bitting 3, Charlotte Morris 3.[[In-content Ad]]
In a non-conference matchup, Teel had 20 kills in a four-game victory (25-15, 25-20, 24-26, 25-19) by the Lady Vikings, who improved to 9-5 with the win.
Dominating through the opening two games, each of Teel’s swings seemed to result in a kill, but Triton (2-3) made some adjustments by the third game, which resulted in a 26-24 win by the home team.
“Knowing we were going to see her, and knowing they liked to use her on the right side and they were really going to try to take our setter out, we really worked on our out-of-system (sets) this week,” first-year Triton coach Samantha Willsey said.
With Triton moving defenders around to dig out some of Teel’s pounding attacks, Valley went to other areas for points, which worked for the decisive 25-19 win in Game 4.
“It doesn’t take much to figure out there she’s our go-to (player),” Tippecanoe Valley coach Mallory Eaton said of Teel. “The younger kids are finally stepping up. People figure out your game plan – you normally do what you’re good at. Teams figure that out. In years past, we didn’t transition well to figure it out. We were good at our one thing, then we’d panic when we had to go to something else. These girls are finally figuring out that, ‘Hey, we can make changes. We can battle back. When they make changes, we make changes.’”
Along with Teel’s attack numbers, Valley also got kills from sophomore Abby Betten (12), junior Lexi O’Connell (11) and junior Madi Miller (8).
Also on the front line, O’Connell had a match-high six blocks, while senior Jaden Biddle led the team with 20 digs, senior Tenaya Shull had 18 assists and freshman Olivia Trippiedi shared the team lead with Teel in aces, recording three.
For a program looking to get back to its winning ways, Willsey has been looking for improvement with each match, and feels she got that against Valley.
“They’re definitely learning a lot this year,” she said. “Our focus has really been on our defense. I think we made accurate transitions and adjustments as we needed to tonight. We definitely improved with every set, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Even after falling behind 2-0, the Lady Trojans didn’t pack up shop going into the third game.
“In the huddle, I told them, ‘I want you to be obnoxiously loud in this third set. Get out there, get the momentum from the start and swing hard,’” Willsey said.
Triton built a 20-16 lead in the third game, but Valley reeled off four-straight points, leading to a timeout by Willsey.
From that point on, the two teams exchanged points until a net violation gave Triton the 26-24 win.
During that stretch, Triton junior Jaela Meister took off, recording her team’s four of her teams final five points, finishing with nine kills in the match.
“Jaela is an excellent athlete and I’m happy to use her when able,” Willsey said.
The third game victory was Triton’s only one, but Eaton feels her team got the resistance it needed.
“Triton is much improved,” she said. “A lot of the programs around here are building up, and that’s exciting. That means our area is becoming more of a volleyball area. I don’t want to play weak teams. I want to play teams that are as good or better than us.”
Along with Meister’s nine kills, she also had seven digs, while senior Krystal Sellers supplied 18 assists and six digs and junior Lauren Hostrawser posted five blocks.
“Lauren was super effective on the net, which is what I’ve been trying to draw from her,” Willsey said.
Triton hosts its annual tournament Saturday, while Valley is off until Monday’s match at Columbia City.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY DEF. TRITON 25-15, 25-20, 24-26, 25-19
Aces – Caylie Teel (TV) 3, Olivia Trippiedi (TV) 3, Madi Miller (TV) 2, Quinn Downing (Tr) 2, Nichole Sechrist (Tr) 2; Assists – Krystal Sellers (Tr) 19 Tenaya Shull (TV) 18, Maddy Henninger (TV) 13; Blocks – Lexi O’Connell (TV) 6, Lauren Hostrawser (Tr) 5, Mia Gunnels (TV) 3, Teel (3), Abby Betten (TV) 2; Digs – Jaden Biddle (TV) 20, Teel (TV) 12, Trippiedi (TV) 10, Jaela Meister (Tr) 7, Downing (Tr) 7, Sellers (Tr) 6; Kills – Teel (TV) 20, Betten (TV) 12, O’Connell (TV) 11, Meister (Tr) 9, Madi Miller (TV) 8, Becca Kennedy (Tr) 5, Sechrist (Tr) 3.
Records: Valley 9-5, Triton 2-3.
JV – Triton def. Tippy Valley 25-17, 25-19.
Triton JV Stats: Aces – Hannah Wanemacher 3, Tyana Spencer 3, Emma Ross 2, Brooklyn Bitting 2; Assists – Ross 5; Digs – Katie Hepler 8, Wanemacher 4; Kills – Bitting 3, Charlotte Morris 3.[[In-content Ad]]
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