Hosting the Class 3A, sixth-ranked Mishawaka Marian Lady Knights Monday, the Warsaw volleyball team came close, but fell in four games. Following the 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19 loss, Warsaw coach Mike Howard had a long talk with his team, trying to make his message clear. "We just felt like a match got away from us," he said. "I thought both teams played hard, but I felt like they were more consistent in their play — and maybe at bigger moments." One of those moments came late in the third game, when the Lady Tigers (3-2) were serving with the score tied at 22-22. The ensuing serve was hit into the net, and the Lady Knights (2-1) went on to score two of the last three points, winning the game 25-23 and taking a 2-1 lead in the match. In the fourth game, Warsaw found itself down early, but clawed within one at 15-14, but Marian went on to score four-straight points, regaining control of the game, and ultimately, the match. "I thought we had some control in those games and made some decisions that just lead to some mini-runs," Howard said about the third and fourth games. "A point here, a point here and another extra point allowed them to sneak by and get those games." One Lady Knight that wasn't sneaking anywhere was sophomore Jordan Bueter. The powerfully-built Bueter finished the match with 18 kills and three blocks, and made Howard recognize where she she was at all times. "We remembered her from last year," Howard said about Bueter. "We knew they were going to go to her a lot. They did kind of go away from her a little bit in the second game and the third, but we kept telling the girls, particularly in the fourth game, 'They're going to go her. She's their money player.' They set her in the back row (in the fourth game) and left her in longer." While Marian was going to Bueter, it was junior Jamie Lacheta that was delivering the blow for the Lady Tigers. In defeat, Lacheta had 12 kills, leading an inexperienced Warsaw team that was also playing without two-year starting libero junior Alex Sanchez, who suffered a broken nose last week. Even with Sanchez, this year's edition of the Lady Tigers looks much different than the one from last year, which graduated five seniors, four of which went on to play collegiate volleyball. "It's not that they're bad players, they're not," Howard said about this year's squad. "We have players with strong skill sets, they've just been playing behind bigger more talented kids. It's kind of like moving from the assistant coach to head coach position. Coming from a reserve role to a starting role, it's a transition that's going to take a little time." Along with Lacheta' production, the Lady Tigers also got 10 kills and nine digs from senior Sarah Heagy, 10 kills from senior Stephanie Shuter, three-and-a-half blocks, two aces and 33 assists from junior Chloe Hubner and another three-and-a-half blocks from senior Nicole Nulf. The new-look Lady Tigers encountered a tough foe Monday, but following a trip to Northfield today, things get even tougher Thursday when they open the Northern Lakes Conference schedule at home against Class 4A No. 2 Elkhart Memorial. "Memorial's going to be tough," Howard said. "I think this team can beat them. Let me rephrase that. This team can beat Memorial if we show up and play our brand of volleyball."
MISHAWAKA MARIAN DEF. WARSAW 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19 Kills — Jordan Bueter (M) 18, Jamie Lacheta (W) 12, Sarah Heagy (W) 10, Stephanie Shuter (W) 10, Kelly Powell (M) 8; Assists — Chloe Hubner (W) 33, Mary Chelminiak (M) 28; Digs — Chelminiak (M) 16, Powell (M) 9, Heagy (W) 9, Emily Poe (W) 6, Sarah Johnson (W) 6; Aces — Hubner (W) 2, Johnson (W) 2; Blocks — Nicole Nulf (W) 3.5, Hubner (W) 3.5, Bueter (M) 3; Records — Marian 2-1, Warsaw 3-2 JV — Marian def. Warsaw 25-24, 25-17 9th — Warsaw def. Marian 25-19, 25-15 Warsaw 9th Stats: Aces — Jodie Carlson 3; Kills — Olivia Divine 3, Tennie Worrell 3; Blocks — Worrell 5; Digs — Jaden Biddle 5, Kiersten Smith 4, Divine 4; Assists — Celia Heckert 5, Carlson 5; Record — 1-0
