AKRON - Both teams were desperate for a Three Rivers Conference win, but the Tippecanoe Valley Lady Vikings volleyball team had just a little more than the Whitko Lady Wildcats.
The Vikings improved the overall mark to 16-11 and evened their TRC record at 3-3 with a much-needed five-game home win (17-25, 27-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-9) over Whitko (6-17, 1-6 TRC) Wednesday."I just wanted the girls to get back to knowing how it felt to win and play competitive volleyball, and not play at someone else's level," Valley coach Emily Finken said. "I'm not saying Whitko's worse than us, I just wanted the girls to take control of a match and control the tempo. We're still not there yet, and the postseason is coming up. We're struggling."
Following a ceremony for seniors Kali Miller, Katie Newsome, Marlayna Strong and Hannah Boggs, the Vikings appeared to be a little flat in the opening game, losing 25-17.
After pulling themselves together, Valley got a 27-25 in the second game, although Whitko had chances to claim the game.
On two separate occasions, at 24-24 and 25-25, Whitko served the ball into the net, giving Valley easy points, and ultimately the win, tying the match up at 1-1.
"There have been matches when we've served very well and very consistently," Whitko coach Doug West said. "Then, there's been matches when it's been very inconsistent at some important points. It's frustrating, but the thing is, it's a mental thing.
"Tonight, we missed a couple opportunities to close out games," he added.
Valley didn't leave much doubt in Game 3, winning 25-18, but closing out the match proved more difficult.
Game 4 featured six lead changes and 15 ties, with Whitko overcoming a 24-23 deficit to win the game 26-24, forcing the fifth, and deciding, fifth game.
"I think our best game was the fourth game," West said. "We played very, very well. We called time out at match point (down 24-23), and got three-straight points before getting the last point. So, we had some comeback ability. I'm proud of my girls. They're beginning to work hard, it's just that we're trying to get that consistency."
In the fifth game, it was all Valley, as the home team jumped out to a 10-2 lead and never looked back, winning 15-9.
"Hat's off to Tippy," West said. "In the fifth game they had their ball control. They were moving the ball right to their setter. So, they were on the offense and were in system in the fifth game. We struggled with that."
That setter was Newsome, who finished the match with 28 assists, many of those passes going to juniors Chelsea Hoffman and Jordan Satoski, who finished with 11 and nine kills, respectively.
Finken can now only hope her girls can build off the win, as they prepare for the postseason, which is two weeks away.
"We just have to work on ourselves, before we worry about any other team," Finken said. "We have to keep working hard at practice, because we're slumping. We need to get out of it fast."
Whitko is also in Sectional 21 with Valley, which will be played at Columbia City, and West will be looking for some strong play from senior Courtney Carver and junior Rachelle Kessie if the team is to succeed.
Against Valley, Carver posted 10 points and a block, while Kessie finished with a match-high three blocks to go with nine kills.
"We do have a couple good middle attackers, when we're in system and getting the ball to them," West said. "When we do that, we're a lot harder to beat."
Whitko hosts its own tournament Saturday at 9 a.m., while Valley's next action is against conference-leading Southwood Tuesday at home, beginning at 6 p.m.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY DEF. WHITKO 17-25, 27-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-9
