Wildcats scratch for 5-set win in sectional final
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WATERFORD -- Western High School could've packed it in here Wednesday night after losing the first two sets to host Waterford in an Ohio Division IV Southeast District sectional final match at Harry Cooper Annex.
After the Wildcats won the first two sets by identical scores of 25-17, the Indians of head coach Mallorie Williams fought back to force a decisive fifth set after posting 25-23 and 27-25 wins.
However, it was all Waterford in the final set as the Wildcats scored the first eight points en route to a 15-5 triumph.
Setter Kendyl Johnson toed the service line to open the winner-take-all fifth set and the hosts grabbed the lead for good when Avery Wagner put down one of her match-high 27 kills from a bad serve-receive.
Johnson proceeded to add a trio of aces in the run and it was 10-3 when she dug an attack from Addy Brewster and it went back over the net and dropped to the floor.
With Maya Wilson still serving the 'Cats inched closer to the sectional crown after Wagner's block on Kenzi Ferneau made it 13-3. Another Wagner kill from one of Johnson's match-high 26 assists set up match point, which came on a Western attack error.
"I think it was our offense," Johnson said of the key to improving to 15-9 as WHS returns to action on Wednesday at Wellston High School against top-seeded Trimble in a district semifinal. "We went to five sets and we worked really hard toward our goal and our goal was to put the ball in and make them suffer. I think we did what we were told."
When asked about being nervous going out for the fifth set Johnson admitted, "oh, yeah, I was really nervous, but I'm really happy we came out with a win."
Four service errors in each of the first two sets didn't hurt coach Kim Barker's Wildcats as the Indians also made five service errors in set one and three more in set two.
Brewster served fifth-seeded Western to an 8-0 lead in set three with her final three tallies all coming via the ace. Consecutive kills by Kendall Sury with Mackenzie Pottmeyer serving cut the deficit to 11-6, but the 'Cats still trailed 16-9 after a Shelby Wagner ace. Although an Ella Schweikert kill and an Avery Smithberger ace cut the deficit to five at 17-12, the 'Cats only managed to close it to within three at 21-28 following two more Avery Wagner downed spikes and a Wilson ace. However, Kerrigan Marhoover's ace off the top of the net was followed by a Brewster kill to force set four.
Katelynn Penwell's ace had the Indians up 24-20 in set four, but the Wildcats scored the next five points and had a chance at match point following another Schweikert kill. Western managed to force the fifth set after a Brewster kill, a Breleigh Tackett ace and then a Ferneau downed spike.
The fourth-seeded Wildcats received a match-high 30 digs from the libero Pottmeyer. Schweikert had six kills and Hadley Offenberger had five.
"Everybody is fighting for their season right now," admitted coach Barker. "I told them looking into this game we got to play like it's our last and we have to limit errors. That's kind of what kept us from winning in three tonight was errors and not adjusting in the way that we should have."
Perhaps the third time will be the charm for the Wildcats against the Tomcats.
"We played them twice and we lost to them both times and it was a battle," added the coach. "It's a little more at stake now and I think Trimble is a mental game for us. We have to approach it with the same confidence and aggressiveness and attention we did this game. If we can come together and limit those errors and play with urgency we can give a run to Trimble."
Brewster, who had a match-high six aces, double-doubled with 14 assists and 10 kills.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com