Tigers Claw Back To Beat No. 9 McCutcheon
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
HUNTINGTON - In an underdog role, Warsaw's varsity volleyball team used nine lives to come from behind and edge No. 9 McCutcheon 15-13, 8-15, 17-15 in the semifinal round of the Huntington North Regional Saturday.
"You couldn't ask for a better game," second-year Warsaw coach Tanya Coon said. "The kids showed mental toughness. They were down the entire game, but they kept coming back and they all stepped up when they need to."
The win improved Warsaw's overall season record to 26-8; McCutcheon finished its season at 30-7.
McCutcheon jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the serving of senior Kathy Asay - the Mavericks' first server of the game.
The Tigers came right back and got three points off the serving of sophomore Nicole DeFord, but McCutcheon then took leads of 11-4 and 13-6 and had the Tigers on the ropes.
And that's when things got exiting.
DeFord's serving brought the Tigers within three at 13-10, and then teammate Myra Sells added two more points. And then teammate Lindsay Woods added two more points and Warsaw led 14-13.
After nine sideouts, a serve by Sells accounted for the last point of the game, giving Warsaw the first win of the match.
Asked what her gameplan coming in was, Coon said: "To shut down No. 5 (senior Kory Tull). We knew she was a good player. We wanted to play around her and play the rest of the team."
After the Mavericks took the second game by a 15-8 count, the Tigers led 3-2 early on in the third game, but McCutcheon junior Heather Caudill served up five points to give her team a 7-3 lead.
The Tigers came back and made it 7-5, but McCutcheon added three more points to its lead.
After Warsaw cut the deficit to 10-9, the Mavericks got two service points each from sophomore Breanne Evans and freshman Cheyanne Peckinpaugh to move within one point of winning the match.
Again Warsaw made things exciting.
Down 14-11, Tiger junior Abby Sumpter served up two points. After a sideout, DeFord served up the tying point. McCutcheon came back and made it 15-14 on the serving of Asay. After Asay served up her team's 15th point, she served up what looked like was the winning point, and an end to Warsaw's season.
McCutcheon, however, was called for a net violation and the Tigers were given life again.
Asked what went through her mind when she saw what looked to be the last point, Coon said: "The girl just went under the net. It saved us because it gave us another chance to come back. They made a mistake and it helped us."
Sells served up the next two points, giving Warsaw a 16-15 lead, and after a sideout with Tull serving, Woods served up the final point for the Tigers.
WARSAW DEF. NO. 9 MCCUTCHEON
15-13, 8-15, 17-15
Warsaw leaders
Kills - Kara Kesler 6, Kristen DeGeeter 6, Nicole DeFord 6
Assists - Abby Sumpter 17
Aces - DeFord 2, Sumpter 2, Myra Sells 1
Digs - DeFord 15, Kesler 14, Amie Poling 12
Blocks - Sells 10, Lindsay Woods 7, DeFord 5 [[In-content Ad]]
HUNTINGTON - In an underdog role, Warsaw's varsity volleyball team used nine lives to come from behind and edge No. 9 McCutcheon 15-13, 8-15, 17-15 in the semifinal round of the Huntington North Regional Saturday.
"You couldn't ask for a better game," second-year Warsaw coach Tanya Coon said. "The kids showed mental toughness. They were down the entire game, but they kept coming back and they all stepped up when they need to."
The win improved Warsaw's overall season record to 26-8; McCutcheon finished its season at 30-7.
McCutcheon jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the serving of senior Kathy Asay - the Mavericks' first server of the game.
The Tigers came right back and got three points off the serving of sophomore Nicole DeFord, but McCutcheon then took leads of 11-4 and 13-6 and had the Tigers on the ropes.
And that's when things got exiting.
DeFord's serving brought the Tigers within three at 13-10, and then teammate Myra Sells added two more points. And then teammate Lindsay Woods added two more points and Warsaw led 14-13.
After nine sideouts, a serve by Sells accounted for the last point of the game, giving Warsaw the first win of the match.
Asked what her gameplan coming in was, Coon said: "To shut down No. 5 (senior Kory Tull). We knew she was a good player. We wanted to play around her and play the rest of the team."
After the Mavericks took the second game by a 15-8 count, the Tigers led 3-2 early on in the third game, but McCutcheon junior Heather Caudill served up five points to give her team a 7-3 lead.
The Tigers came back and made it 7-5, but McCutcheon added three more points to its lead.
After Warsaw cut the deficit to 10-9, the Mavericks got two service points each from sophomore Breanne Evans and freshman Cheyanne Peckinpaugh to move within one point of winning the match.
Again Warsaw made things exciting.
Down 14-11, Tiger junior Abby Sumpter served up two points. After a sideout, DeFord served up the tying point. McCutcheon came back and made it 15-14 on the serving of Asay. After Asay served up her team's 15th point, she served up what looked like was the winning point, and an end to Warsaw's season.
McCutcheon, however, was called for a net violation and the Tigers were given life again.
Asked what went through her mind when she saw what looked to be the last point, Coon said: "The girl just went under the net. It saved us because it gave us another chance to come back. They made a mistake and it helped us."
Sells served up the next two points, giving Warsaw a 16-15 lead, and after a sideout with Tull serving, Woods served up the final point for the Tigers.
WARSAW DEF. NO. 9 MCCUTCHEON
15-13, 8-15, 17-15
Warsaw leaders
Kills - Kara Kesler 6, Kristen DeGeeter 6, Nicole DeFord 6
Assists - Abby Sumpter 17
Aces - DeFord 2, Sumpter 2, Myra Sells 1
Digs - DeFord 15, Kesler 14, Amie Poling 12
Blocks - Sells 10, Lindsay Woods 7, DeFord 5 [[In-content Ad]]