Sports
Ace Nation: Lancers fall to the Eagles in a five-set District Semi-Finals thriller
By: Jillian Sanders
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WELLSTON, Ohio (WOUB) – The Federal Hocking Lancers end their season after a tough five-set loss to the Beaver Eastern Eagles in the District Semi-Finals.
The gym was electric Wednesday night for this District Semi-Finals matchup. Federal Hocking’s Karlee Grimm came out swinging with a play out of the middle to set her team up for a quick six-to-one lead.
Libero Brenlee Cottrill was not letting anything get past her in the back row. It was not until Eastern’s outside hitter Braelyn Bevins brought the game right back in the game, ten to nine Eagles. Bevins had nine kills that night.
Middle Callie Rader for the Eagles had a huge rip out of the middle, which forced Federal Hocking to call a timeout.
Neither team was letting anything get past them; it wasn’t until Lancers’ Grimm came back to the front row. She sealed the deal for Federal Hocking, taking the first 25 to 18.
In the second, you could feel the intensity. The game was neck and neck with multiple errors from both sides of the net.
An ace from Eagles Kelly Wells forced the Lancers to use their first timeout. Out of the timeout, the Lancers put their foot on the gas. Cottrill had an ace followed by another kill from Grimm. Grimm had 24 kills that night.
Federal Hocking’s Outside Juniper Ballew had some swings to keep the lancers in the game. Unfortunately, Federal Hocking could not pull out the win after a kill from Bevins finished the set for the Eagles. 25 to 18 Eastern.
The third set started with the same mentality as the first. Neither team was giving up or giving in, although Eastern was spreading out their offense, with kills from Bevins, Rader, and Laken Gullett. Federal Hocking was holding it down defensively with great backrow digs from Cottrill and putting up a wall at the net from middle hitter Megan Reichardt.
Gullett for Eastern really put on a show this set. She had 13 kills and played stellar defense for the Eagles.
The set stayed neck and neck until Eastern was able to pull away at the end. The Eagles took the third 25 to 17.
The Lancers knew it was now or never, and they were playing like they didn’t want to go home. Grimm had a block and a kill, Bailey Brunty had an ace, and Ballew also had a block to kick off the fourth set for the Lancers.
Eastern said not so fast, as Kenleigh Bapst had multiple kills, which brought them back into the game. 14 to 10 Lancers.
Federal Hocking was on a mission for this set, and there was just no stopping them. The Lancers took the fourth set, forcing a fifth set, 25 to 22.
The crowd, coaches, and players were all tuned in for this final set. The game was close, and both teams wanted to advance to the District Finals.
Grimm was doing everything she could from the front row for the Lancers, but the Eagles’ quick and versatile offense was just too much for Federal Hocking.
Easterns Gullett ended the match with a kill, 15 to 13 Eagles.
The Eagles advanced to the District Finals, where they will play Valley on Saturday.
As for the Lancers, they have completed their season with a record of 12 and 12.
Head Coach Ryan Grimm shares how proud he is of his team and what they have accomplished this year.
“Wow have we accomplished a lot.” Grimm said. “There is starting to be a culture at Federal Hocking volleyball and having a high level of play. I hang my hat on that. If this is over tomorrow, I have left it better than I found it.”