Season 6: Dancing With the Stars
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DPS Scholar Reception
State volleyball opens with a thriller
Norwalk St. Paul needs five games to advance to the finals, while New Knoxville goes four games for victory.
Friday, November 10, 2006
FAIRBORN — If the opening match of the 32nd state girls volleyball tournament is any indication, the event will a smashing success with a lot of emotion and high intensity.
Playing in their first fifth and deciding game of the entire season, Norwalk St. Paul and Frankfort Adena were locked in a dramatic marathon that tested their mettle. St. Paul won in five (22-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-27 and cruising in the fifth game 15-8) at Wright State's Nutter Center.
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Get latest headlines via RSS feedsSt. Paul, ranked No. 8 in the final Division IV coaches' poll, advanced to the state title game Saturday at 11 a.m. against No. 3-ranked New Knoxville, which beat unranked Toledo Christian 23-25, 25-18, 25-15 and 27-25 in the nightcap.
"That match put us in a lot of pressure situations, and our girls responded," said St. Paul winning coach Nancy Miller, whose team improves to 25-2. "We mentally address in practice how to approach that fifth game even though we haven't had experience this season. We went to the fourth game twice this season."
In the fifth game, the Flyers went on a 6-0 run after a 8-8 deadlock. They utilized a smorgasbord of weapons and used them wisely.
"We capitalized on a couple of their unforced errors and a couple of our kills put us over the top," Miller said. "We have a balanced attack, not just one person. That team attack is our strength. Our girls are confident with our three options on the front row."
That balance is reflected on the stat sheet with Christine Dow leading the way with 27 kills, followed by second-team All-Ohio Kate Schafer with 19 and Victoria Spaar with 11. Setter supreme Andrea Fritz accounted for 62 assists.
Adena, 24-3 and No. 2 in the state coaches' poll, came out and took the first game behind the blistering kills of Ashley Jordan who totaled six.
The Flyers did a nice job neutralizing Jordan in the next two games, gathering momentum and making the necessary adjustments.
Jordan finished with 21 kills, and teammate Leah Hirsch produced 16.
Later Thursday, Toledo Christian won the first game 25-23, but NK behind its net-hurdling duo of Nicole Wright and Alycia Niemeyer (a combined 19 kills), charged back to take the next four games.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2478 or rjackson@DaytonDailyNews.com
