The Marietta School volleyball staff huddles as Otterbein celebrates within the background after Saturday's Ohio Athletic Convention Match championship match at Ban Johnson Area. (Picture by Jordan Holland)
MARIETTA – Marietta School suffered its first lack of the season and was denied its first Ohio Athletic Convention match championship Saturday at Ban Johnson Area.
Nevertheless, the Pioneers gained't let that get them down.
“We'll be fantastic,” MC head coach Kristy Newman stated after her staff's four-set loss to Otterbein.
“It was sort of a joke that I stated I didn't wish to go undefeated. We have now to lose sooner or later and the way we reply now might be enormous. One factor I feel we do very effectively is love one another. We might love by way of rainbows and sunshine, now we're studying the right way to love after a loss.”
The Pioneers sit up for Monday's choice present, the place they’ve an amazing probability to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Match and will even host the Regional. In order that they'll be trying to bounce again after not going in opposition to the Cardinals.
Otterbein, which misplaced in 4 units to BanJo throughout the common season, gained 25-20, 25-23, 11-25 and 26-24 on Saturday to seize this system's third straight convention match title.
Kennedy Hoffman led the Cardinals with 18 kills, whereas Kristen Scherger added 11 and Emerson Baum contributed seven. Olivia Vitaz completed with 33 assists and 5 aces, whereas Amanda Troyer had 17 digs.
The primary two units have been backwards and forwards, however finally the Pioneers discovered themselves in an Zero-2 gap.
As a substitute of rolling, Marietta got here out on hearth within the third set. A kill by Sophie Evans put MC forward 6-2 early, and a kill by Jillian Feller sparked a Three-Zero run that prolonged the result in 10-Four.
Otterbein lower it to 11-Eight, however the Pios reeled off 4 straight factors due to a kill by Fellers and three straight Cardinals assault errors to go up 15-Eight.
Three aces by Maggie Fellers and kills by Emory Spitler and Mia Silva gave Marietta loads of possibilities at 22-10, One other kill by Silva and an ace by Ella Boyer made it 24-11 earlier than the Otterbein's 11th offensive error to place Marietta within the recreation. win column, chopping it to 2-1.
Neither staff led by multiple within the fourth set till back-to-back aces by Grace Ganz put Otterbein up 10-7. One other service ace, this time by Vitaz, prolonged the Cardinals' result in 15-10, however a kill by Maggie Fellers, adopted by back-to-back kills from Evans, introduced MC inside two.
Trailing 17-15, Marietta acquired back-to-back takedowns from Silva and Jillian Fellers to knot it at 17-all. Otterbein took the lead momentarily, however two back-to-back hits by Jillian Fellers put the Pioneers forward 19-18.
The momentum swung again in Otterbein's favor when Vitaz assisted on a pair of pictures by Hoffman and recorded an ace to place the Cardinals up 23-21.
Marietta stepped up and acquired three straight kills — one every by Maggie Fellers, Boyer and Evans — to tug inside 24-23.
The Pioneers had an opportunity to tie the sport at 2-2, however an attacking error gave Otterbein life at 24-all. A Baum kill put Otterbein up 25-24 earlier than a Marietta passing error despatched the Cardinals dwelling completely satisfied.
“It simply wasn't our day” Newman stated. “Issues that usually work didn't work, however now we have to return and look and work out why they didn't work.”
Marietta, which is led by six seniors, will regroup and look to make a run on the program's first match look pending the outcomes of Monday's choice present. Newman believes the staff gained't be deterred by only one loss.
“They’re a particular and excellent group, so now they are going to keep collectively” she stated. “We'll watch the movie and be taught from it. The trophy now we have for the common season (the OAC title) continues to be historical past and it's nonetheless unbelievable. It's one thing they must be pleased with and (assistant coach) Hadley (Florence) and I are nonetheless so pleased with them.”