Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – Tuesday’s match between Warren and Maplewood had everything you would expect from two of District 10 top programs – strong hitting, great defense and moments filled with drama.
It was Maplewood that won three sets by a combined total of six points, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23 at Joesph A. Massa Gymnasium.
“I thought it was a high-level contest in which we had a chance to win each and every game,” said Warren coach Mike Dolan. “For the most part we played the best we have all year – we served tough when we needed to and passed well which gave us the opportunities we needed to attack and score and keep everyone involved in the offense.”
Maplewood jumped out to a lead in game one, with Warren rallying. The Tigers’ Chloe Leech was brilliant on the outside, with six of her 18 kills in the first set, including the clincher to put the Tigers up 1-0.
It was the Tigers that jumped out to the lead in game two, ultimately going up 23-17. Carly Beers and Olivia English were strong offensively, put in good positions by setter Halee Mineweaser, and Katie Madigan brilliant defensively to help the Dragons rally to tie the set at 24-24. Maplewood rattled off the next two points, however, to take the 2-0 lead.
It was Warren that built a lead in game three, thanks in large part to Jordan Sitler and Hannah Shattuck. Sitler led the team with 10 kills, as Warren built a 6-point lead, only to watch as Maplewood rallied, thanks to Leech Sadie Thomas and Avery Brunot. Tied at 23-23, the Tigers were able to close out the set and the match.
Leading Warren were Sitler (10 kills, 3 blocks), Meredith Morrison (3 aces, 11 digs), Shattuck (9 kills, 8 digs), Madigan (30 digs, 2 assists), Mineweaser (30 assists, 9 digs, 4 kills), English (8 kills, 9 digs, 2 aces, 2 blocks), Kylie Fehlman (2 blocks) and Beers (7 kills, 2 digs).
“Maplewood has some outstanding outside hitters, but I thought we played excellent defense all night on them, both with our blocking and back row play,” Dolan said. “I think as a team we’re headed in the right direction, and the competitive practices have contributed to that. As we continue to improve, we’ll have to figure out ow to close out the close games, especially in the third set where we had a late lead.”
Warren won the JV match, 2-1, 25-15, 22-25, 15-8. Leading the Dragons were Fehlman (5 kills, 6 blocks), Summer Lucks (5 kills, 6 blocks), Lauren Dolan (14 assists), Lilly Hokel (2 kills), Alexia Bowers (3 kills), Kirsten Johnson (2 kills, 1 block) and Brook Edwards (2 kills, 4 digs).
The Dragons (3-3 overall, 2-2 Region 4) return to action on Thursday at Titusville.
