GOSHEN – Warsaw overcame adversity for another Northern Lakes Conference volleyball win Thursday.
The Lady Tigers dropped Game 1 at Goshen, but responded by winning the next three for the NLC victory.
“We’ve been able to prove we can fight through games and things like that,” said Warsaw coach Rick Ashmore. “We’re still working on it, it’s a work in progress, but halfway through the season we’re 11-2 and we haven’t played a home game yet.”
Warsaw (11-2, 2-0 NLC) won 21-25, 25-12, 25-10, and 25-22.
The Lady Tigers were coming off a late night after traveling to defeat Elkhart Memorial on Wednesday. Ashmore blamed fatigue as part of the reason for their slow start.
“Not to excuse (us), but it made us not ready to go in (to play),” Ashmore said.
Warsaw struggled at the service line in Game 1, while Goshen excelled in serving and passing to take the 1-0 match lead.
However, the Lady Tigers excelled in both service and serve-receive in Games 2 and 3 to roll to easy victories and the 2-1 match lead.
“That was the difference in the match,” said Goshen coach Mike Howard, the former Warsaw coach. “We knew whoever served and passed better was gonna have the best chance to win.”
Warsaw racked up 20 aces, including seven by Kylie Smith and four courtesy of Erin Peugh.
“We were looking to serve aggressively going after it, and we were able to do that,” Ashmore said.
Warsaw’s serving slipped a little in the fourth game, and the Redhawks (12-3, 0-1 NLC) showed life in the deciding game.
Game 4 featured five ties, and Warsaw was up 23-22 before consecutive kills sealed the victory.
Warsaw won the JV match, 25-14, 25-12. Gwyn Bellamy led the way with eight kills and five digs for the Lady Tigers.
Warsaw won both freshman matches. The Lady Tigers topped Goshen 25-10, 25-13 and beat LaVille 25-13, 25-21.
WARSAW def. GOSHEN 21-25, 25-12, 25-10, 25-22
Warsaw: Kills – Betty Barnett 11, Kennedy Lauck 11, Katie Swanson 7, Erin Peugh 4. Assists – Kacy Bragg 32. Digs – Kylie Smith 14, Peugh 13, Cora West 8, Elizabeth Schmidt 6, Swanson 5. Aces – Smith 7.
