Fort Recovery defense quiets Panthers in third (08/29/03)

ROCKFORD, Ohio — Fort Recovery’s girls have good memories.

The Indian volleyball team didn’t want an instant replay of its trip to Rockford last season. So instead it buckled down, played great defense in the deciding game and scored the final five points in a row for a 15-4, 11-15, 15-5 victory over the Parkway Panthers Thursday.

Fort Recovery dropped a tough first game last season before crumbling in the second for a 16-14, 15-5 defeat. They refused to let a similar results happen in their second match of the 2003 campaign.

“It just started with my starting lineup,” said Indians’ coach Jackie Kaup. “The girls came out with intensity. They really wanted this match. I think that’s what got it for us.”

“I think us and Fort Recovery are evenly matched,” said Parkway coach Todd Henkle. “I don’t think the score was indicative of the whole match.

“They just had a little more smack on the ball tonight.”

After trading victories in the first two games, Fort Recovery trailed 3-1 in the third before the defense silenced the Panthers’ roar. The Indians recorded side outs on seven straight Parkway tries, more than a full trip around the rotation.

The Indians’ run started with a Parkway miscue, but got ignited by freshman middle hitter Tiff Gaerke.

She was responsible for denying back-to-back Panther service tries with a couple of kills. After two errors by Parkway gave her team a 4-3 lead, Gaerke set the tone for the rest of the match with a resounding denial of an attack attempt by Rebekah Roehm.

The next five points in a row went to the Indians to complete the 8-0 run. Finally Tory Henkle notched a couple of service points for the Panthers, but they would get no closer.

Krystal Rammel finished the match by serving the final five Fort Recovery points, with two aces and three solid kills by Joscie Kaup, Gaerke and Julie Grube.

Gaerke and Jenn Stahl shared a team-high with seven kills apiece, and Krystal Rammel added six to the very balanced offensive attack.

“I have some height this year, which is a good thing,” said Kaup. “The girls can all hit the ball. My setters do a great job of spreading it a round.”

Olivia Post dished out 13 assists Thursday, and Kaup had 12. Grube led the team with nine points, and Rammel followed with eight.

Stahl rejected 10 Panther attacks, and Gaerke aided her with five blocks.

The first game of the evening went quickly in Fort Recovery’s favor.

Grube ran off the first six Tribe points, three of which came on aces. Kills by Gaerke, Grube and Kaup completed a 10-0 run as the Indians grabbed a 10-1 lead.

Parkway pulled to within 10-4, but the Fort Recovery defense clamped down from there with Gaerke eventually ending the game with a block against Roehm.

The Indians (2-0) struggled a bit in the second game as they went with some different lineups. The Panthers took advantage, breaking a 4-4 tied with a 5-0 run.

Fort Recovery pulled back to within one point at 11-10 only to lose when Emily Snyder slammed down an errant Indian pass for the final point.

Henkle attributed his team’s rally to force the third game to the Indians’ difficulties in serve receiving.

“When that happens, it just helps your intensity tremendously,” he said. “Then we blocked better at the net.”

Snyder and Roehm paced the Panthers with five blocks apiece. Cassie Steinbrunner had a team high with five kills, and Snyder and Mandy Jutte each added four.

Fort Recovery’s next action will come at the St. Mary’s Invitational Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

Junior varsity

The Indians’ junior varsity team (2-0) played a similar up-and-down match against Parkway in a 15-3, 1-15, 15-7 victory Thursday.

Ciera Rammel served the Tribe to a 7-0 lead in the first game, and Vicki Roessner finished it off a while later by scoring the final two points. The tables turned in the second game as Fort Recovery could do nothing to stop the Panthers’ momentum.

The pendulum swung back to the Indians in the third game as they scored eight of the final nine points to pull away for the victory.

Kristen Schwieterman racked up 10 Tribe points, and Rammel followed with nine. Julie Link notched five kills, and Kelly Link had four kills and six blocks.

Roessner finished with seven digs, and Jennalee Post dished out 11 assists.

Freshmen

Fort Recovery’s freshman opened their season with 15-3, 15-8 trouncing of Anna Thursday.

Abby Niekamp led the effort for the Indians with four kill, 10 sets and seven points. Jodi Tobe also scored seven points. and Holly Stein had 10 sets.

Brittany Brackman and Tobe each had three digs, and Lori Osterholt added a pair of blocks.

Junior high

Fort Recovery’s eighth grade team (2-0) got by Greenville 15-7, 14-16, 15-7 while the seventh grade team (1-1) scored a 15-8, 15-1 victory.

Heather Schmackers paced the eighth grade squad with 13 points, 20 sets and a pair of kills. Sarah Braun and Ashley Grube each added two kills, and LeAnne Tobin and Braun scored five points apiece.

Lindsey Fortkamp finished with 11 digs.

Chelsea Klenke played the key roll for the seventh grade squad, serving the first 14 points of the second game. Kelsey Wuebker was next with nine points, and Joanna Snyder had three sets.[[In-content Ad]]