COLUMBIA CITY — In a Whitley County matchup Monday in Columbia City, the Whitko volleyball team was just overmatched. Falling in three games (25-13, 25-13, 25-12) the Lady Wildcats didn’t have the firepower to keep up with the Columbia City Lady Eagles’ hitters. “The score obviously didn’t reflect it, but we had some of the best digging we’ve ever had,” Whitko coach Brandy Smith said. “We haven’t played a team that swings like them. We’ve played (Class 2A No. 7) Rochester and (Class 2A No. 6) Southwood, but (Columbia City) swings even harder than that. We haven’t faced that and I thought the girls did pretty well.” Leading that offensive attack for the Lady Eagles was Northwestern University-bound Gabrielle Hazen, who had nine kills, followed by Ohio State University-bound Kalisha Goree’s seven. The Lady Eagles’ hitters got those opportunities for attacks thanks to some strong serving, which got Whitko out of its system early. “We really talked a lot about serving aggressive and trying to take them out of their offense,” Columbia City coach Trish Hinen said. “That was one thing we were really focused on tonight.” The only Lady Wildcat that could match up physically with Columbia City’s front line was senior Whitney Hobbs in the middle. And that’s why Hinen wanted to avoid her, though she did post three blocks. “We hit right into her a couple times, but for the most part, we did a really good job of trying to see her and hit around her,” Hinen said. “She really is a very good blocker.” Smith commented that Hobbs had hoped to post better stats than her three kills and three blocks, but the coach wasn’t too down on her. “I’m happy to see three blocks out of her,” Smith said. “That was great, because they’re smart enough to use the blocks and we don’t see a lot of teams that do that. It was hard for my girls to adjust.” Smith’s top girl may have been junior Tressa Keim, who posted six digs, four kills and two aces, while junior Elaine Warner finished the match with 11 assists and six digs. Whitko doesn’t have much time to fret over the loss, traveling to Wawasee today then hosting Fort Wayne Canterbury Thursday night. “This is our only three-match week of the year, so this is not my favorite week,” Smith said. “It is fun, because playing is the fun part. It’s fun, but it’s a long week.” Hinen also commented that this is a busy time of the year for her team. However, with it’s ultimate goal being its first sectional title since 1984, the more work the better as eight-time defending sectional champion Bellmont, who sits at No. 8 in Class 3A, as well as 14th-ranked Mississinewa are also in the Heritage Sectional. Despite the competition, Hinen hopes she can be a part of another sectional championship team, even though they’d be separated by 29 years. “I was a freshman and I played on that 1984 team,” she said. “I keep telling them, ‘I am the last person to have put that (banner) up there and I am very old.’ (Winning the sectional) is our ultimate goal.”
