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| 10/21/2009 8:33:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Ada spikers avenge loss to Lady Rams with sectional win
By Cort Reynolds
Ada Herald Writer
HARROD - Fifteen days after a gut-wrenching five-set loss to their arch-rival Upper Scioto Valley, the Ada volleyball team earned a measure of revenge in the Div. IV sectional semifinals at Allen East Tuesday evening by posting a 25-17, 25-14, 23-25, 25-22 victory over the Lady Rams.
The big win snapped a 10-match Ada losing skid and upped their record to 4-16, while USV ended up 3-17. The Lady Bulldogs advance to play in the sectional finals Saturday at 3 p.m. vs. top-seeded Waynesfield-Goshen at AE, which had a first round bye.
"We were looking forward to playing USV," said Ada coach Don Castle. "We played and worked hard, everyone hustled. Our passing was so much better and so was our serve reception.
"Our serving was improved and we covered the tips better than we did last time against USV," he continued. "We really worked hard in practice on passing and serve receive, and it paid off."
USV head coach Alexis Vermillion was philosophical about the season-ending loss. "I feel bad for the seniors to end on a note like this," she said. "We've had a rough season and bonded together. The girls battled but we came on too late." USV jumped ahead 7-0 in the first game, but then Ada turned the tables and outscored the Rams 25-10 the rest of the way to take control of the match.
Throughout, the Bulldogs stayed away from the unforced errors which plagued them much of the season.
"We just didn't quit," explained Castle about the first game comeback. "We have gotten behind all season and are used to doing it. We began talking and communicating better."
Vermillion was at a loss to explain the turnaround, but it was clear that the momentum carried over into game two. Ada stormed in front 7-1 behind three Tabbi Jolliff outside hits and a crosscourt kill by Moriah Rouch.
The Bulldogs edged ahead 12-6 on a Sam Fell slam, but two kills by Emily Coburn got USV within 14-9.
Mikayla Coburn then came up with a nice block kill yet Nikki Grzybowski answered with a clever two-handed push that landed near the sideline.
Three Ada errors got the Rams within 15-13, but Rouch placed a crosscourt hit well and USV made two errors. The Bulldogs then won a long rally and Rouch sliced an ace on the back corner line.
Ada continued its 7-0 run with a Ram hitting error and a Malary Dumbaugh kill for a 22-13 bulge. The Bulldogs closed the game on a 10-1 spurt when Grzybowski fired an unreturnable serve on set point for a 2-0 lead.
The teams battled to a 4-4 tie in set three when USV took control. Freshman Maura Griesheimer served four points in a row as Mikayla Coburn contributed two kills for an 8-4 Ram lead. A Dumbaugh smash dropped in off Coburn, yet a Whitney Anderson attack fell in. A great running save by Mikayla Coburn, followed by her fine serve, made it 11-5. Kenzie Fell capped a long rally with a tip to the open back corner but USV maintained the lead at 13-9.
However, Ada then went on a spurt. After a Ram hitting miscue, Rouch won a tip battle at the net. A Jolliff kill prompted a timeout by Vermillion, but a Dumbaugh kill ended a long rally in Ada's favor. Grzybowski's tip gave the 'Dogs their first lead since 2-1, and the margin stretched to 16-13 after a Ram error and a Jolliff block.
The 7-0 run, with six points served by Kenzie Fell, was stopped when Emily Coburn knocked down a big smash despite a fine lunging effort by the sophomore Fell. Jolliff came up with a left outside hit to the back corner, but Kayla Prater responded by attacking well to the open center hole.
An outside left hit by Sam Fell and a two-hand tip by Dumbaugh to the open middle gave Ada a 19-16 edge, six points from the match.
Then the Rams rallied. Mikayla Coburn hit crosscourt short for a point. After a Bulldog miscue, Prater's huge dig off a resounding smash by Dumbaugh tied it. A hard, dipping hit by Emily Coburn dropped just inside the back line to give USV the lead back 20-19. Prater fired a clean ace between the Ada back row defenders and then a Dumbaugh tip try hit the top of the net and dropped back on the purple side for a 22-19 Ram lead.
Sam Fell's big hit off a USV blocker stopped the 6-0 Ram splurge. Yet Mikayla Coburn came back with a big block kill off an Ada attack. After a USV serving error, Ram freshman Aspen Rose made an athletic left-handed kill at the net for a 24-21 lead.
Another Ram serving error kept the Bulldogs alive, but Rose came up big again with a block kill at the net to give USV a 25-22 third-set victory.
Game four was close throughout, with USV taking a 7-4 lead when Mikayla Coburn made a two-handed putaway after a fine Griesheimer save. Two good serves by Lindsay Simmons, a pair of Ram errors, an outside kill by Sam Fell and a block tip by her sister Kenzie spearheaded a 7-1 Ada run that gave them an 11-8 lead.
Emily Coburn traded kills with Sam Fell, and Kenzie came up with a big hit off Rose. Jolliff's left outside slam made it 14-9, Ada. An Emily ace pulled USV within three, but a Grzybowski push shot and service winner helped make it 18-12 Bulldogs. Three Mikayla attacks and two tips pulled the Rams within 20-18 as the junior refused to let USV lose without a fight.
She followed that up with a big block and then Ada hit long to tie the game 20-20. USV then faltered by serving into the net, but the 'Dogs returned the favor with a hitting miscue for 21-all. Another Ram serve then sailed just long and Ada seized command following a USV hitting error.
Kenzie Fell won a tip battle at the summit above the net to give Ada a 24-21 cushion. Rose came up with a clutch block kill to stave off one match point. But on the next play she collided with a Bulldog blocker under the net on an aggressive kill try. She was called for her legs going well over the line to make contact, and Ada thus clinched the hard-fought match.
"We played well in the third and fourth games, but our 14 service errors hurt us bad," Vermillion admitted. "Our passing was good and our front line had five block kills."
But the less error-prone Bulldogs only had two serve errors by comparison, reported the Ada mentor. "It was one of the better matches we've played," noted Castle.
Ada also featured a balanced offensive attack, led by its three seniors. Sam Fell hit 7-9 with five kills, and was 10-12 in serve reception. Grzybowski was 70-71 setting with 30 assists. Dumbaugh hit 8-10 with four kills. "Malary really played well the first two games," Castle noted.
Versatile sophomore Jolliff went 15-17 hitting with six kills, was 11-13 passing and 10-14 in serve reception. Soph Kenzie Fell contributed six kills on 10-12 hitting, and added three digs. Junior Rouch was 15-16 receiving serve, made eight digs and was 10-13 passing.
For USV, Mikayla Coburn knocked down nine kills, while Aspen Rose contributed six kills and hard-hitting Emily Coburn added five. Setter Shelby Conley doled out 12 assists. It was the last match for Ram seniors Emily Coburn, Conley and Anderson.
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