BENTON – In Class 3A volleyball sectional action at Fairfield High School Thursday, it took the Wawasee Lady Warriors five games to eliminate the Tippecanoe Valley Lady Vikings from the state tournament. After falling 25-11 in the first game, Wawasee won Games 2 and 3 by scores of 25-20 and 25-15. Leading 22-12 and later 24-17 in Game 4, things certainly looked bright for Wawasee. The Lady Vikings, however, had other ideas and rallied for a 26-24 win. The fifth and decisive game was just as much a battle, as Wawasee edged Valley 17-15. With the win, the Lady Warriors advanced to Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. semifinal against Northern Lakes Conference foe NorthWood, which beat West Noble 25-8, 25-18, 25-18 in Thursday’s other matchup. Wawasee fell to NorthWood in four games during the regular season. Saturday’s semifinal action starts at 11 a.m. with Lakeland and 10-time defending sectional champion Fairfield. The championship match is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday.
WAWASEE DEF. TIPPECANOE VALLEY 11-25, 25-20, 25-15, 24-26, 17-15 (Valley leaders) Assists – Madison Henninger 16, Tenaya Shull 13; Kills – Caylie Teel 19, Alexis O’Connell 8, Madi Miller 4, Henninger 3, Mia Gunnels 3; Aces – Miller 3, Shull 2; Digs – Jaden Biddle 23, Teel 13, O’Connell 13, Olivia Trippiedi 6
Semifinals: Lakeland vs. Fairfield, Sat., 10 a.m.; Wawasee vs. NorthWood, 12:30 p.m.
