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October 31, 2009

No comebacks left for Northview in volleyball regional loss to Floyd Central

By Andy Amey

Seymour — There were no five-game high school volleyball comebacks Saturday for Northview at the Class 4A Seymour Regional — not even a fourth-game rally, or a third-game win — and the Knights had some hints early that third-ranked Floyd Central might not be going to permit such things.

But the Knights emerged from their 25-17, 25-11, 25-14 loss with their heads high, their dignity intact and their place in their school’s history secure. Alyssa Clarke even made one final appearance on the court.

“That’s the best high school team I’ve ever seen, period,” coach Scott McDonald said afterward. “I told the kids, ‘There are times when you lose, but we just got beat today.’ ”

“We walked in here thinking we had a good chance,” senior captain Ali Sharton of the Knights said after the match. “It was a nice atmosphere to be here … but [the Highlanders] are really good.”

Northview showed it was not intimidated by Floyd Central’s reputation, taking early leads of 3-1, 4-2 and 7-6 — overcoming a 6-5 deficit on back-to-back kills by Brittaney Long off Highlander blocks — before Floyd Central went on a 6-1 run led by a block and a trio of kills by powerful Jennifer Smith.

But right back came the Knights. Long had a kill and a service ace, Kaylee Clark had a kill and a tip, and a kill by Brylie Riddell tied the first game again at 13-13.

Floyd Central scored the next three points, the last two on kills by Laura Der, but Northview got kills from Sharton and Clark and a block by Long to stay within 16-14, then 17-15, then 19-16. But a Northview service error preceded back-to-back aces by Jordan Owens that started the Highlanders on a game-ending 6-1 run.

Here were the hints that this was not going to be easy for the Knights: those kills by Long off Highlander blocks were the rule, not the exception, and that service error was just Northview’s second misplay of the entire first game, meaning that near-perfect play by the Knights had still come up short.

“We knew we had to be perfect to have a chance,” McDonald said later. “[The Highlanders] got a touch on about every ball [we hit].”

Floyd Central had a 15-2 run early in the second game, turning a 3-2 deficit into a 17-5 lead, and 10 consecutive points that started another 15-2 run in the third game, which quickly went from 3-3 into an 18-5 lead for the Highlanders.

“I think we thought we could go five [games] again,” senior Samantha Solomon said afterward. “We got pounded, but we stayed in there and played with all our heart.”

“The kids didn’t quit,” McDonald noted. “[The Highlanders] were just better than we were.”

McDonald made sure all his seniors saw playing time down the stretch. That group included Long, Sharton, Solomon, Stephanie McMains, Maxine West, Brailyn Whitson — and Clarke, who walked gingerly out to the net for a point (won on a kill by Long) in the latter moments of the match.

“It was great to say I got in the game,” Clarke said afterward.

The senior who suffered her second annual season-ending knee injury during sectional play was cited several times by several teammates since then as an inspiration for Northview’s sectional championship. It’s safe to say there were a few tears shed Saturday as she made a final appearance.

“I’m proud of my team, and I’m grateful they think of me that way,” said Clarke.

“These seniors worked their butts off for three years to win that sectional,” McDonald said after the match. “They’ve set the bar now [for future Northview teams].”

“It’s the best feeling in the world [to be part of this team],” said Solomon. “The girls next year now know this is something they can do again and again in the future.”

“I honestly enjoyed it,” Long said of Saturday’s experience. “I knew we were up against a tough team, but it was worth it … I’m blown away at the whole thing.”

“I think our senior class left [the Northview program] pretty good,” said Sharton. “We made a good impact on it.

“I think people know [the Knights] now. We’re not the underdogs any more.”



Northview 17 11 14

Floyd Central 25 25 25

Highlights — For Northview, Brittaney Long had 5 kills, 5 digs, a block, 4 points and 2 aces; Hannah Hayes had 12 assists, 2 kills, 2 points and an ace; Kaylee Clark had 8 digs, 7 kills and an assist; Ali Sharton had 6 assists, 4 digs, 2 kills and 3 points; Ashlen Buck had 9 digs and 2 points; Brylie Riddell had 5 kills, a block, a dig, a point and an ace; Samantha Solomon had 2 assists, a kill, a block, a point and an ace; and Lizzie Emmert had a kill.

For Floyd Central, Melanie Stutsman had 29 assists, 12 digs, 5 kills, 2 blocks, 18 points and 2 aces; Laura Der had 15 digs, 12 kills, 2 blocks, an assist and 8 points; Jordan Owens had 4 kills, 2 blocks, 8 points and 3 aces; Jennifer Smith had 11 kills, 2 blocks, 2 points and an ace; and Kyndall Merritt had 10 digs, 4 assists and a kill.

Next — Floyd Central (34-3) played later Saturday for the regional championship. Northview finished 27-10.

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