Lady Warriors notch sixteenth win heading into post season play
By Lenny Sementi
Tuscola’s volleyball equaled their win total from last year notching their sixteenth win of the season last Tuesday, Oct 22 rallying from an early first set deficit to upend a good Windsor squad in straight sets 26-24, 25-21. The Lady Warriors had the opportunity in the regular season with one more in the win column but came up short falling to Sullivan in two sets 18-25, 18-25 a few days later on Thursday in Central Illinois Conference action.
Fourth year players Karli Dean and Maddie Green flexed their offensive muscle on senior night verse against Windsor at the friendly confines. The duo combined for two aces, four kills, seven digs and nineteen assists. Coach Lydia Miller’s squad fell behind 8-2 in the first set and the two leaders brought them back. Dean fired up a pair of aces in a four-point run that cut it to 8-6 and Green found Bosch a few points later as the two teams exchanged points.
Classmates Kyra Moyer and Grace Voyles joined in the fun playing on their home floor for the final time. Moyer led all with ten saves two late in game one that led to points. Voyles also patrolled the back row finding her way to three saves while also serving up seven points including a three-point service run that drew the Warriors to within one of the lead 19-20.
From that point on it was the super sophs Katie Dean and Amelia Bosch show. They took full advantage of the attention the elder drew at the net. They each pounded home kills that put the Warriors in front for the first time 25-24, then rose up in tandem blocking a Windsor kill attempt to secure the win. Kate led all in the match with eleven kills and Bosch was next in line with six kills. Two juniors Kendyl Ring and Hope Dietrich each passed the ball to Green who fed the front row during the late game rally. Ring ended the night with five saves and Dietrich added six saves to the team totals.
Moyer opened the second game with back-to-back aces serving up eight straight points giving Miller an early 8-0 lead. Kills by Karli Dean and Kendyl Ring kept the eight-point advantage and the Voyles served her way to four points increasing Tuscola’s lead to double-digits. Windsor had other ideas though utilizing a six-point run and a four-point run climbing to within one of the lead 22-21. Green turned to Kate Dean’s hot hand feeding the outside hitter on three straight points for kills delivering the victory. Sophomore Keri Pierce served up the final two points as the Warriors improved to 16-11 on the season overall and 4-2 in the CIC.
Green had a monstrous night against Sullivan accounting for thirty assists, four digs, ten service points and three aces in the final regular season game of the year. She found the Dean sisters and Bosch each three times in game one leading dominating twelve-point win in set one but it was not enough as the Warriors failed to keep pace after giving up runs midway thru the final two games falling in both 18-25 to lose the match.
Bosch continued her late season charge delivering a season and career best ten kills. Karli was next up with eight kills to her credit. Katie and Ring provided some power at the net ending the night with six kills each. Moyer lived up to her position of defensive position diving her way to thirteen saves. Jessie Martin notched eight saves as the Warriors had ten players dig out at least one ball.
Miller’s JV ended its season with a split. Tuscola downed the Lady Fillies of Windsor 25-23, 25-20 to start the week then were tripped up on the road falling to the Lady Redskins in three games 13-25, 27-25, 14-16 ending the year with a 15-8 mark overall including a tourney title at Blue Ridge.