Dennis Clark
Associated Press
Jasonville —
Sullivan and Shakamak battled through 16 ties and eight lead changes in the first game of their high school volleyball match Tuesday.
Sullivan rallied from a 24-23 deficit to eventually win that first game, then proceeded to pull away to easier victories in the next two games to defeat Shakamak 26-24, 25-13, 25-20 at the Lakers’ gym.
“Eventually we took control … unfortunately it’s looking like we’re going to be notorious slow starters this year,” Sullivan coach Jennifer Murdock said. “I hope we can fix that.
“But the girls showed real focus, especially in the first and third games, where they were close or tied up. Showing the poise to stay calm and be able to pull [those games] out.”
With the victory, Sullivan improved to 5-5 on the season heading into a home Western Indiana Conference doubleheader with Northview and Brown County on Saturday.
On the opposite side of the net, Shakamak has to be the best 0-7 team in the Wabash Valley.
“We have the talent,” Shakamak coach Lyndsey Cummings agreed. “The problem is keeping the energy, consistently being aggressive and finishing games. They’ve got to want to win. I can’t make them keep the energy up. It’s hard to say we’re 0-7.”
In the first game, Shakamak led 4-1, then Sullivan jumped ahead 13-9 as a result of a 5-0 run. As soon as that run ended, Shakamak reeled off six consecutive points to regain the lead at 15-13.
From then on, the two teams played through eight ties before the Lakers reached game point, leading 24-23. Sullivan junior Brekiesha Weszley came through with back-to-back kills — she had eight in the first game — to put the Arrows at game point, leading 25-24.
On the next play, Shakamak’s Mikayla Crane nearly had a hard-hit kill for a potential 17th tie, but the ball landed just inches outside the court — or the two teams might still be playing.
Game two started just like game one, the two teams playing through four ties and a pair of lead changes.
But the Arrows pulled away this time, utilizing a 7-0 run to bust out in front 18-8. Mikaela Chagnon keyed this run with a pair of aces, while Jackie Bezy had her two solo blocks. Rhagen Smith closed out the game by scoring the last two points, the game-winner on a block at the net.
Once again, game three was a close affair with eight ties and three lead changes.
The Lakers led 13-12, but the Arrows ran off nine unanswered points to go ahead 21-12. In the 9-0 run, Smith had three kills and a solo block. Shakamak crept within 24-20, but Smith’s softly-placed kill — eight of her 11 kills came in game three — was the match winner.
“We’re getting there,” Murdock stated. “We’ve still got things to improve upon. But we’re playing much better right now. The improvement has been there, but we still have a ways to go.”
Murdock’s biggest challenge has been bringing together the skills of her new players and more-experienced players into a cohesive unit.
“It’s a mix,” Murdock described her team. “We’ve got new setters that we hadn’t worked at all with at the varsity level last year. That takes some time, the hitters getting used to them.”
Cummings is in a similar situation with her team, blending experienced players with younger, inexperienced players.
“We have four seniors, but our big hitters and our setter are all underclassmen,” Cummings said. “We’re still struggling, trying to mesh. They’re a new team as far as playing together. So we’re still trying to work out the kinks, obviously.”
Sullivan 26 25 25
Shakamak 24 13 20
Highlights — For Sullivan, Mikaela Chagnon had 11 points, 2 aces, 9 digs, 20 assists; Jackie Bezy had 2 solo blocks; Taylor Shake had 8 assists; Brekiesha Weszley had 14 points, 2 aces, 13 kills, 10 digs; Rhagen Smith had 11 kills, 2 solo blocks. For Shakamak, Taylor Myers had 12 assists, 3 points, 6 digs; Kelsey Fulford had 2 kills; Riley Montgomery had 6 points, 5 kills, 1 block; Kylee Grissom had 6 digs; Holli Moore had 5 points, 2 aces, 2 kills, 9 digs; Mikayla Crane had 6 points, 1 ace, 6 kills, 4 blocks, 6 digs; Kayla Samm had 4 digs; Lacy Ashcraft had 3 points, 3 kills, 3 digs; Kelsey Pilant had 2 points, 1 ace, 1 kill, 2 blocks.
JV — Sullivan won 22-25, 25-19, 15-14.
Next — Sullivan (5-5) hosts Northview and Brown County in Western Indiana Conference matches on Saturday. Shakamak (0-7) travels to North Knox on Thursday.
