Fort Recovery falls to the No. 2 Cardinals

NEW BREMEN, Ohio — The Midwest Athletic Conference can be an absolute gauntlet.

Five of the 10 member schools are ranked in the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association’s poll.

The Indians ran into another one of those teams Thursday.

The offense of the Division IV No. 2 New Bremen Cardinals was too much for the Division III No. 10 Fort Recovery High School volleyball team as it dropped its final match of the regular season 25-16, 25-18, 25-19.

The Cardinals (18-4, 8-1 MAC) finished with 40 kills in the match, nearly doubling the Indians’ 21 kills. Olivia Heitkamp had 18, nearly outpacing Fort Recovery (16-6, 6-3) all by herself.

Teigan Fortkamp led the Indians’ attack with six kills. Paige Guggenbiller was the only other attacker to have five or more kills.

Fort Recovery had a solid day serving the ball, recording seven aces. Fortkamp had three while four other Indians added one apiece.

Kennedy Muhlenkamp and Mara Pearson led the defensive effort at the net with two blocks each. Karlie Neikamp also had a block.

The defense struggled to slow down New Bremen’s attack, only digging balls out 26 times. In comparison, the Cardinals dug the ball out 67 times. Cali Wendel had a team-high eight digs for FRHS.

Kayla Heitkamp and Muhlenkamp split time as the team’s setter. Heitkamp had nine assists while Muhlenkamp had eight.

The Indians finished fourth in the MAC. All three losses came to the three teams that tied for first place — Coldwater, New Bremen and St. Henry.

Fort Recovery will get a week off before it plays the winner of an opening-round sectional match between seventh-seeded Allen East and ninth-seeded Wayne Trace in the sectional championship Oct. 18 at St. Henry.