SOUTH WHITLEY - The Tippecanoe Valley Viking volleyball team hoped to go into Whitko and do to the Wildcats what Rochester did to them Monday: defeat them on senior night.

Whitko had other ideas.

Last week Rachelle McCammon, Whitko's coach, said their team was taking baby steps to learn to win. Learn they did. In the end, Whitko came out on top 15-10, 15-13.

Valley, however, did not go down easily. In game one, Valley struck early and scored the first point.

After three possession changes, the score was tied 1-1 as Valley's Amy Nellans stepped up to serve. She served up three straight points to put the Vikings in the lead 4-1.

Behind 4-1, Whitko started taking baby steps. The Wildcats scored one point on three of their next five possessions to tie the score at 4.

Valley and Whitko each scored one point on each of their possessions, making the score 5-5.

Whitko took the lead for the first time on their next possession, but Valley came back again and tied the score at 6. And 7.

Baby steps.

Whitko scored three points in a row to take a 10-7 lead, and Valley would not take the lead for the duration of the first game.

In a hard fought battle, Whitko finally prevailed with the final score 15-10.

Whitko came out and scored the first point of the second game, but Valley's Nellans was not about to give up. She served up two points to make the score 2-1 in Valley's favor.

Whitko tied the score 2-2, but was unable to take the lead as Valley took possession and the lead again.

Trisha Peters stepped up to serve for the Wildcats, and led Whitko to a 4-3 lead. Tiffany Cunningham then served up two points to give Valley the upperhand 5-4.

Baby steps.

Whitko chipped away at Valley's lead again and took a 6-5 lead after several volleys.

Brooke Fisher then stepped up for the Vikings and scored three points in a row, and Whitko called a timeout.

With Valley at an 8-6 advantage, McCammon gave her girls a bit of advice.

"This is your night, prove it," she said.

Whitko froced Valley to relinquish possession and scored one point, but after several possession changes, Valley had a commanding 13-7 lead thanks to Cunningham and Inga Vandermark each served up two and three points respectively.

With her team behind by six, Whitko's Kelly Osborn scored two points to reduce Valley's lead to four.

Several possession changes later, BrieAnn Starkweather stepped up and led Whitko to four straight points and tied the score at 13.

Valley took possession, but failed to score.

Aly Frantz took the helm for the Wildcats, and Whitko scored two points to win the come from behind match 15-13.

"We are taking things one day at a time," said McCammon. "We are just going to keep doing what we have been. It seems to be working so I guess we'll keep doing it."

Whitko over Valley 15-10, 15-13

Team leaders - Valley: Amy Nellans 5 points, 3 aces; Tiffany Cunningham 8 points, 2 aces, 6 kills; Brooke Fisher 7 kills, 2 blocks; Lynette Wilcox 2 kills, 7 blocks; Rhonda Doud 16 assists; Whitko: BrieAnn Starkweather 9 kills, 36 digs, 4 aces; Kelly Osborn 7 kills, 15 assists; Trisha Peters 15 digs; Aly Frantz 6 assists; Stephanie Moore 3 aces; Shana Miner 3 blocks; Holly Hoffman 3 blocks.

Record - Valley: 22-7 overall, 4-2 TRC; Whitko: 9-17 overall, 4-3 TRC

Next match - Valley: Monday at Southwood; Whitko: Saturday at home for Whitko Invitational. [[In-content Ad]]