Another opportunity

VAN WERT, Ohio — It was far from their best volleyball. But it was enough.
The Fort Recovery High School volleyball team struggled through the first game Tuesday before taking control and defeating the Fairview Apaches 28-26, 25-19, 25-12 in the opening round of the Division III sectional tournament at Van Wert.
“It started out slow,” said FRHS coach Diana Rammel, whose team trailed 24-21 in the opening game, ‘and I told the girls they were flat and they needed to pick things up a little bit.
“I just think they didn’t want to lose. And after that first game they built their momentum and just went on from there.”
Fort Recovery advances to play Midwest Athletic Conference rival Parkway (17-5) in the first of two sectional championship matches at Van Wert Saturday at 3 p.m. The Panthers won the Sept. 16 regular-season meeting between the two squads 25-15, 25-21, 25-14.
The Tribe will be seeking its second consecutive sectional title.Its sectional championship victory over Coldwater last season was its first since 1994.
“I think it’s going to be a good match,” said Rammel. “I think we’ve got a better team than we did when we played them the first time. We have a completely different lineup, better things going on defensively and offensively.”
The Indians (8-15) trailed 7-3, 20-15 and 24-21 in the opening game Tuesday as they tried to find their rhythm against Fairview (6-17). Fifteen of those 24 Apache points were scored on Tribe errors, giving the visiting team on the scoreboard three chances to end the opening game.
Then Fort Recovery got the break it needed.
An attack by Olivia Thien looked as if it was headed long, but libero Kyla Dietrich (18 digs) reached her arm up and tried to play the ball. It went off her arm for a kill, and the Indians took advantage.
They pulled to within 24-23 on an attack error by Chelsey Bostater and then tied the game with a kill from Shelby Brunswick. Holly Brunswick added a kill to push the Tribe ahead, and it eventually picked up the win as it closed the game on a 7-2 run.
“We needed that game,” said Fairview coach Barb Breininger. “I think they played well the first game, and I think (losing it) got them down.
“The girls, once they start to get down, they start to play more timid. They play a little bit scared … And then that’s when they make mistakes.
“You can’t play scared. Even if you’re behind in a game you have to come out and be aggressive.”
The second game was close through the first 25 points, but the Indians never trailed and eventually built a 21-14 lead. The teams traded points the rest of the way before Kayla Kahlig ended the game with a kill.
Fort Recovery then controlled the third game, getting four kills from Holly Brunswick en route to a 7-1 lead. Her back-to-back aces later pushed the Indians’ lead to double digits at 14-4.
Abby Backs, who finished with 15 digs, served the final six points, the last of which came on Brunswick’s 15th kill of the night.
“I think Abby Backs said, ‘I’m not losing this.’ Because she was everywhere,” said Rammel. “She picked up everything. …
“I honestly think she had the best match of her life. She just let nothing drop. She hustled after everything.”
Holly Brunswick added 14 digs, 11 service points and six blocks, and Thien notched 12 kills and 11 digs. Shelby Brunswick had 17 assists, Kahlig totaled  15 assists and 10 digs, and Abby Backs notched nine service points.
Kelsey Fiely, a sophomore, joined the starting lineup and finished with four kills. The Indians played without senior starter Holly Thien, who was suspended for a violation of team rules.
“Kelsey played a nice game tonight,” said Rammel. “She stepped out there and played great. I think she was a little bit nervous right at the beginning, but once she got comfortable she was fine.”
Sara Polter had 11 digs and three kills for the Apaches, and Meagan Johns added four kills. Miranda Steffes finished with seven assists and seven service points, and Sara Culler totaled five service points and two blocks.[[In-content Ad]]