It’s been a whirlwind of a first week for Warsaw volleyball. After facing off against the two previous 4A state champions Hamilton Southeastern and McCutcheon on Saturday, the Lady Tigers earned their first win of the season Tuesday at Fort Wayne Concordia. Fast forward to Thursday night, as Warsaw hosted Huntington North for its first game at the Tiger Den in 2023. The home side did not disappoint, looking dominant in a 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-12) win. Warsaw is now 2-2 this fall.
“I love playing at home. There’s nothing better than being on your home court with your fans and students,” Warsaw head coach Chandra Hepler said. “Our play style is a really fun one to watch and we see that when our gym is packed and cheering.”
After a couple of unforced errors gave the visitors an early lead, the Lady Tigers were able to get it going thanks to a massive kill by junior Maggie Hollon followed up by back-to-back aces by sophomore and AAU All-American libero Ellie Hepler. Despite the spurt giving Warsaw its first lead of the set, the first game remained competitive with the home side hanging onto a two or three point lead for a majority of the first half.
The Lady Tiger lead climbed up to four at 11-7 before a short Lady Viking run cut the advantage and half and forced a timeout from Hepler. The decision worked to perfection, as Warsaw scored the first three points after the break to extend its lead to five. Even with a short Huntington North rally sprinkled into the fray, the Lady Tigers remained consistent, resulting in a Lady Viking timeout with the home side up 18-13.

    Senior Leah Henderson and sophomore Joslyn Bricker of Warsaw go up to block the kill attempt of Huntington North's Grace Michel during the third game. Photo by Gary Niet
It didn’t do much to stop the bleeding. Warsaw came out of the break on fire, scoring five straight to come within two of an opening set victory. It wouldn’t take long to get there, as senior Kenzie Chivington would clinch game one for the Lady Tigers with an emphatic kill to put an exclamation point on a 25-14 Warsaw win.
Looking to avoid going down two sets to none, Huntington North came out with purpose in game two, taking an early lead thanks to some menacing play up front. Eventually, the Lady Tigers would get it going, and senior Melaina Hawblitzel would give the home side a three-point lead with a cross-court kill.
Facing the pressure once again, the visitors answered with a four-point run of their own to retake the lead. From this point on, momentum seemed to shift on a dime, with each side taking turns dominating the court. Late in the game, the Warsaw front line really began to make its presence felt, with Hollon and senior Leah Henderson putting together some highlight reel finishes while putting their team up by six and forcing a visitor timeout at 22-16.
The break in action would spark a four-point Huntington North run, but it wouldn’t matter much. Junior Leila Knepp would put the finishing touches on a 25-20 Lady Tiger victory, giving Warsaw a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
With their backs against the wall, the Lady Vikings came out with purpose in game three, taking four of the first five points to build an early lead. As they had all night to this point, the home side showed remarkable poise in battling back, tying up the game at six all. Not long after, Warsaw would lead for the first time in the set at 8-7 and extend the lead to four a couple points later.
Now in control once again, the Lady Tiger front line would keep their side in front with a series of massive blocks as well as some stellar offensive play. After another earth-shattering kill from Hollon extended the lead to six, Huntington North would call for time.
“Maggie has really grown since last season. I think Kaylee Weeks really helped with her development, helping her polish and sharpen her skills,” Hepler said. “She worked really hard this season and has come in as a huge weapon for us. She brings a lot of heat on that ball and it’s a pleasure to watch her grow.”
Sensing blood in the water, Warsaw would step on the gas after the break and put the game to bed. The Lady Tigers would rip off seven straight points to put the team on the brink of victory. They would get it not long after, as sophomore Cece Goode put the game to bed with the final kill of the night in a 25-12 game three victory.
Warsaw continues its ringer of an early season schedule with two matches Saturday. The first is against 4A top-15 team Carmel, with the following contest against defending 3A state champs Providence.
“It’s very purposeful. We want the girls to see what a semi-state opponent might look at. We want them to see where we are now and where we need to be in a couple of months,” Hepler said. “It’s eye-opening for them to see that. We had a great year last year but we have six or seven new players at the varsity level. It’s all about building their confidence and getting ready for the postseason."