Wildcats get past the Fort (09/05/03)

FORT RECOVERY — Maybe this year Fort Recovery can reverse the trend.

In each of the last two seasons the Indian volleyball team has beaten the Minster Wildcats in the regular season only to have the same squad send them home in the first round of the sectional. After a 15-13, 15-11 loss to Minster Thursday, the Tribe is hoping to return the favor come sectional time this year.

“That was a long match,” said Minster coach Rick Carter of the contest which included 68 side outs. “I’m not sure how long, but for two games, that was a very long match.

“There were some volleys there that probably went eight or 10 times on both sides. Those are two good MAC [Midwest Athletic Conference] teams.”

“It was a battle,” concurred Fort Recovery coach Jackie Kaup. “We tried hard. We fought, and we fought and we fought.

“When you start down in the second game and you have to win it, that makes it awfully hard.”

After letting the first game slip away the Tribe needed to win the second, but fell behind 6-2 thanks to three kills from Minster senior Robyn Hoying. Fort Recovery stayed close, with the score reaching 10-7 after a pair of points by Olivia Post.

A series of missed attacks by the Indians followed, as Joscie Kaup went wide right, and Jenn Stahl went wide lift and into the net. The Wildcats (6-0, 2-0 MAC) took a 13-7 lead on those mistakes, and it was enough for them to hold on to the game and the match.

The Indians (4-2, 1-1 MAC) made Minster nervous by scoring four straight points, but the Wildcats got a kill from Hoying to push the lead to 14-11. The Tribe fought off a pair of match points, but Hoying ended the match with a block.

Hoying was the leader for Minster, finishing with 18 kills. She also had 10 blocks and 10 digs.

Freshman Danae Spieles notched seven kills, and Samantha Schumann trailed Hoying with nine blocks. Valerie Bornhorst picked up a team-high 13 digs, and Laura Morsey had 25 assists.

“I’m pretty proud of my freshman [Spieles],” said Carter, also praising the outstanding effort from Hoying. “She did an awesome job for us.”

Fort Recovery has its back against the wall in the second game after losing a 10-7 lead in the second.

Krystal Rammel served one point for an 11-7 lead, but service errors by Renee Schmackers and Kaup around the Rammel point let the Wildcats off the hook. Minster took advantage, scoring the next six points in a row on four Indian errors, an ace and a Hoying kill.

The Tribe pulled back to tie the match at 13-13 on a kill by Kaup, but the senior went long on an attack minutes later as the Wildcats took the win.

“They just didn’t finish,” said Kaup. “We were ahead in the first game and we just let them play with us. That’s what we need to work on.”

Kaup paced the Indians in digs and assists with 17 and nine respectively. She was second on the team in kills with seven.

Gaerke had a team-high eight kills, while Jenn Stahl racked up 13 blocks. Briget Metzger and Rammel each had 11 blocks.

Rammel added 15 digs and six points. Olivia Post scored six points and notched eight assists.

“They’re a good team,” said Kaup of the Wildcats. “They’re always a good team. They’re tough and they make us better. We look forward to seeing them in the tournament.”

The Tribe will host Franklin Monroe Monday at 6 p.m.

Junior varsity

The Fort Recovery junior varsity team stayed strong down the stretch, playing great defense late for a 16-14, 15-13 victory.

The Tribe trailed 14-12 in the first game an 13-10 in the second, but clamped down both times to rally for wins. It scored the final five points in a row in the first game, winning on a Julie Link kill.

Fort Recovery (3-0) called a time out as it trailed by three in the second game and was unstoppable from that point. Minster tried calling a time out of its own after the Indians pulled even, but couldn’t change the tide as the Tribe won the match when an Erica Davis attack went wide left.

Brenda Rindler and Kelly Link shared a team high of four kills. Rindler added eight digs, and Link had six blocks.

Vicki Roessner scored seven points, including a pair of aces, and she matched teammate Jennalee Post with 11 assists. Post also had four blocks, and Kristen Schwieterman added 10 digs.

Freshmen

Fort Recovery’s freshman team (4-0) lost its first game Thursday before rallying for a 12-15, 15-13, 15-12 triumph over the St. Henry Redskins.

Abby Niekamp had a huge match for the Indians, leading the team in points (17), kills (6) and sets (30). She also added five blocks.

Holly Stein trailed with 28 sets, and Sam Staugler notched a team-best seven blocks. Brittany Brackman finished with six digs, an Shelby Knapke had five.

Junior high

The middle school Indians played St. Henry Thursday, with the eighth grade team taking a 10-15, 15-11, 15-6 decision while the seventh grade team lost 15-10, 15-13.

Jill Pottkotter paced the eighth grade team (3-1) with 11 blocks and five digs. Heather Schmackers had 33 sets, and seven points, and Sarah Braun also had seven points.

Amy Schoenlein had 18 points, and Ashley Grube put down six kills.

The seventh grade team (2-2) go six points, two blocks and two digs from Kinsey Wenning. Kelsey Wuebker had eight points and 13 sets, and Anne Koesters had three kills.[[In-content Ad]]