PLYMOUTH — In a season-opening rematch of the game that sent Plymouth’s volleyball team home in last year’s sectional, the result was the same but the path there was very different, as the Lady Pilgrims fell in five games 3-2.
“We knew it was going to be a tough one they were regional champs a year ago but why not, you know we have Penn Thursday too, so it doesn’t get any easier, right?” said Plymouth head coach Derek Eveland. “I was pretty pleased. We’ve kind of gotten kicked around a little bit by LaPorte over the years. Competing with them, I’ll take that right now. A ‘W’ obviously would have been big for confidence but I think our girls should come away with a lot of confidence even with a loss tonight.”
It was a tightly-played game with no real dominant run by either squad, running away from the other. Most points were hotly contested and a five-point lead was the largest either could manage for most of the contest.
“Nobody really dominated. I thought the best that we played was early in game one and I feel if we’d stepped on the gas then it might have made a difference,” said Eveland. “If we win that game, it could have been a different night. They got one; they get two a little more controlling, and we battled and did what we needed to. Game five, I knew it was going to be tough any time you go against a good defensive and good hitting team.”
Plymouth jumped to an early lead and forced LaPorte to a timeout leading 15-10 in game one. The Lady Slicers came back to tie at 16 and went on to win game one, 25-21 and then never trailed in game two, taking a 25-22 win.
Plymouth came back and jumped to a quick 3-0 lead in game three, extending it as far as 11-2 before taking a 25-15 win to stay alive. Game four was a back-and-forth affair.
Plymouth, trailing at 15-12, took a time out, tied it at 15 and then went on to take a 25-22 win. In the deciding game, the Lady Slicers jumped to a 6-0 lead and then held on 15-12.
“I was pretty pleased with (McKenzie) Scheetz. She might have gotten blocked once all night,” said Eveland. “She knows where to roll it, where to put it in play. I felt she had the most steady game.
“Hannah Rhodes did a nice job getting side to side, she’s a hard worker so you know she’s going to get there,” said Eveland “Bailey (Eveland) had a decent game setting. She tried spreading it out. We probably could have gone with our outside hitters a little more. I was pretty pleased with everybody.”
There were some key points in the game that made a difference in the Lady Slicers’ favor.
“I saw some things we need to work on and the girls know,” said Eveland. “We need to get better at coverage, more blocking. When we were blocking, we were controlling the game and really, the same thing with LaPorte, when they were blocking they dominated.
“We missed a couple crucial serves,” said Eveland. “We talked with our middle hitters. We need to bring them off the net just a little bit, when you’re up against a 6’3” girl like (Kara) Cooper. It gives players like Kenzie (Quissel), Sidney (Richer) or Alaina (Clady) a chance to have a little more creativity.”
Varsity Results
LaPorte defeated Plymouth 25-21, 25-22, 15-25, 22-25, 15-12
Plymouth Stat Leaders
Aces – Kenzie Quissell 2
Blocks – Quissell 3
Digs – Kendall Rhodes 10
Kills – Sadie Bastardo 13, McKenzie Scheetz 13, Quissell 7
Assists – Bailey Eveland 34
Record, Plymouth 0-1
LaPorte JV defeated Plymouth 17-25, 25-20, 15-5
LaPorte Freshman defeated Plymouth 25-19, 25-19
