July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Gaerke's Flyers bash Dukes (09/29/07)
Collegiate Check-up
Gaerke's Flyers bash Dukes (09/29/07)
DAYTON, Ohio - This time, Tiff Gaerke's team handled Nicole Wright's.
The high school rivals met on the volleyball court again Sept. 22 as college freshmen when Gaerke's Dayton Flyers defeated Wright's Duquesne Dukes 30-16, 30-15, 30-22.
Gaerke, who graduated from Fort Recovery High School in May, played parts of all three games and finished with a pair of kills.
In high school she and Wright (New Knoxville) battled for four seasons as Wright's Rangers won the 2006 Midwest Athletic Conference title and knocked out the Indians in the sectional tournament. But Gaerke walked away with MAC Player of the Year honors, becoming the first volleyball player in Fort Recovery history to do so.
Now she is a freshman and member of the "Flyer Five", as Gaerke and her four freshman classmates on the volleyball team have been dubbed, and has helped push No. 16 Dayton to a 15-0 record.
"They're a very talented group, and they've come in here with a great attitude," said coach Tim Horsmon of Gaerke, Yvonne Marten (Indianapolis Cathedral), Becky Novacek, Rachael Broerman and Kacie Hausfield. "I think they're all going to be great players. They push the other kids, they've just been hard working and they're five really character kids. They've been a great addition to our program."
While only Novacek has played in more than half of the Flyers' games this year each of the freshmen have done their part, which Gaerke showed in the opening game against Wright and the Dukes.
Entering game one with Dayton leading 25-15, Gaerke did not touch the ball for the first six points she was on the floor. But at game point setting Erin Schroeder found her on the left side and the former Indian delivered the game-winning kill.
"It was really exciting," said Gaerke, who saw her first action at home in the Frericks Center. "I actually was not expecting that, but it was a great feeling."
Gaerke added another kill in the second game, converting on half of her four attempts on the evening.
"She is already one of my favorite kids in our program," said Horsmon. "She's got an unbelievable attitude. She's extremely coachable. Obviously she's a great athlete. ... I think there's great things in the future for her."
Gaerke has 14 kills on the season, an average of one in every game she's played. She has also totaled four aces.
For the rest of her freshman season, Gaerke said the goal is to become more consistent in everything she does.
"If I get more consistent, then I'll get more trust from the coaches to be put into the harder situations in the tougher games," she said. "That's what I'm working at right now.
"When I first came into this program I would have said I expected to play more, but we've been playing so well. We're (16th) in the country, which is amazing. I would have never even thought that. ... As I said before I came here, I wanted to be on a team that wanted to be great. The coaches knew that. To be getting into some of the games now is really exciting."
Alyssa Johnson
Jay County - 2006
Helped the Taylor University women's cross country team to a third-place finish Sept 22 at the Cedarville Open.
Johnson turned in the No. 3 time for the Trojans, who finished behind Cedarville and Baldwin-Wallace, finishing 18th overall in 20-minutes, 15 seconds.
Joscie Kaup
Fort Recovery - 2004
Led Syracuse University's volleyball team in digs in a 30-16, 30-11, 31-29 triumph Sept. 21 over Rutgers.
Kaup had nine digs in just two games worth of action and also contributed one assist. She leads the Big East in total digs with 282, and is second with 4.95 per game.
Mitchell Thomas
Ian Thomas
Jay County - 2005
Each finished in the top seven for the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology men's cross country team, which placed seventh out of 16 teams at the Otterbein Invitational.
Mitchell Thomas was the No. 5 runner for the Engineers at the Sept. 22 race, finishing 54th in 28-minutes, 4 seconds. Ian wasn't far behind his twin brother, placing 57th at 28:07.
Luke McClung
Jay County - 2007
Saw 19 minutes of action Monday in the Anderson University men's soccer team's 3-1 loss to Thomas More.
McClung's Ravens are now 2-5-1 on the season.[[In-content Ad]]
The high school rivals met on the volleyball court again Sept. 22 as college freshmen when Gaerke's Dayton Flyers defeated Wright's Duquesne Dukes 30-16, 30-15, 30-22.
Gaerke, who graduated from Fort Recovery High School in May, played parts of all three games and finished with a pair of kills.
In high school she and Wright (New Knoxville) battled for four seasons as Wright's Rangers won the 2006 Midwest Athletic Conference title and knocked out the Indians in the sectional tournament. But Gaerke walked away with MAC Player of the Year honors, becoming the first volleyball player in Fort Recovery history to do so.
Now she is a freshman and member of the "Flyer Five", as Gaerke and her four freshman classmates on the volleyball team have been dubbed, and has helped push No. 16 Dayton to a 15-0 record.
"They're a very talented group, and they've come in here with a great attitude," said coach Tim Horsmon of Gaerke, Yvonne Marten (Indianapolis Cathedral), Becky Novacek, Rachael Broerman and Kacie Hausfield. "I think they're all going to be great players. They push the other kids, they've just been hard working and they're five really character kids. They've been a great addition to our program."
While only Novacek has played in more than half of the Flyers' games this year each of the freshmen have done their part, which Gaerke showed in the opening game against Wright and the Dukes.
Entering game one with Dayton leading 25-15, Gaerke did not touch the ball for the first six points she was on the floor. But at game point setting Erin Schroeder found her on the left side and the former Indian delivered the game-winning kill.
"It was really exciting," said Gaerke, who saw her first action at home in the Frericks Center. "I actually was not expecting that, but it was a great feeling."
Gaerke added another kill in the second game, converting on half of her four attempts on the evening.
"She is already one of my favorite kids in our program," said Horsmon. "She's got an unbelievable attitude. She's extremely coachable. Obviously she's a great athlete. ... I think there's great things in the future for her."
Gaerke has 14 kills on the season, an average of one in every game she's played. She has also totaled four aces.
For the rest of her freshman season, Gaerke said the goal is to become more consistent in everything she does.
"If I get more consistent, then I'll get more trust from the coaches to be put into the harder situations in the tougher games," she said. "That's what I'm working at right now.
"When I first came into this program I would have said I expected to play more, but we've been playing so well. We're (16th) in the country, which is amazing. I would have never even thought that. ... As I said before I came here, I wanted to be on a team that wanted to be great. The coaches knew that. To be getting into some of the games now is really exciting."
Alyssa Johnson
Jay County - 2006
Helped the Taylor University women's cross country team to a third-place finish Sept 22 at the Cedarville Open.
Johnson turned in the No. 3 time for the Trojans, who finished behind Cedarville and Baldwin-Wallace, finishing 18th overall in 20-minutes, 15 seconds.
Joscie Kaup
Fort Recovery - 2004
Led Syracuse University's volleyball team in digs in a 30-16, 30-11, 31-29 triumph Sept. 21 over Rutgers.
Kaup had nine digs in just two games worth of action and also contributed one assist. She leads the Big East in total digs with 282, and is second with 4.95 per game.
Mitchell Thomas
Ian Thomas
Jay County - 2005
Each finished in the top seven for the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology men's cross country team, which placed seventh out of 16 teams at the Otterbein Invitational.
Mitchell Thomas was the No. 5 runner for the Engineers at the Sept. 22 race, finishing 54th in 28-minutes, 4 seconds. Ian wasn't far behind his twin brother, placing 57th at 28:07.
Luke McClung
Jay County - 2007
Saw 19 minutes of action Monday in the Anderson University men's soccer team's 3-1 loss to Thomas More.
McClung's Ravens are now 2-5-1 on the season.[[In-content Ad]]
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD