Pettisville sweeps Stryker; Blackbirds meet Antwerp in Napoleon Saturday for District finals

By NORRIS LEDYARD

Expositor Staff Writer

PETTISVILLE - In a rematch of Buckeye Border rivals, the Blackbirds from Pettisville swept the Panthers of Stryker in volleyball Tuesday evening, 25-18, 25-15 and 25-13. Pettisville will meet the Archers from Antwerp in Napoleon for the district finals Saturday, Oct. 25 at 5 p.m.

Game one started with neither team establishing their service games, until Pettisville's Mackenzie Nofziger toed the line with an 8-5 lead. She had six straight serves, including an ace. Katie Weber had a strong attack shot for a point. After a service break on Stryker, Karina Rohrer-Meck punched out an ace to push the difference to 14-7. The Blackbirds carried the seven point difference to 17-10, as Haley Nofziger contributed another strong attack hit and after a furious rally, Weber scored a thundering kill. Stryker Head Coach Brittany Cooley called for a time out at 20-11.

After a Stryker kill made it 20-12, the Panther's had an illegal substitution. Since the Panthers had used all their time outs in the game, the floor referee called a delay of game, forfeiting the Panther serve and awarded a rally point to Pettisville, making the score 21-12.

The Panthers broke the Pettisville serve and their freshmen players, namely Brooke Ruffer hit some fine serves and Baily Grime knocked her kill into the corner for Stryker points. Stryker closed to within six points, 21-16.

There were two more service breaks, when Rohrer-Meck returned to the service position and nailed three serve in a row, two of which Stryker could no return, as Pettisville closed out game one, 25-18.

Game two had the Blackbirds carrying their momentum forward. They moved into an 8-3 lead, spurred by Mackenzie Nofziger excellent save which Chelsea Schmucker converted into a kill. Haley Nofziger and Weber scored kills, as Pettisville maintained their ball control offense, with Tessa Yoder's digging and Rohrer-Meck setting the plate.

The lead expanded to 15-7 as Pettisville pressed their attack. The Panthers called for time. After the time out, the Blackbirds lost some ground to Stryker, as the Panthers made some vigorous hits and the Pettisville hits lost their accuracy. When the Blackbird lead melted to 17-14, Pettisville Head Coach John Horning asked for time.

Some thing positive took place in that huddle, as the Blackbirds found their rhythm and blasted out five straight points behind kills by Haly Nofziger, Rohrer-Meck, Weber and Stephanie Yoder. After a service break, kills by Stephanie Yoder and Weber ran the score to 25-15 in Pettisville favor.

Game three had everything going Pettisville's way and lots of mistakes being made by the youthful Panthers. For every serve Stryker had, Pettisville controlled their service for four to five times. Tessa Yoder found the service line to liking for nine straight serves, which ran the score to 19-4. All this through both Stryker time outs.

Stryker doubled their offensive output to make it 19-8. However, their mini-run helped only in making the score closer, as Pettisville returned to their bread and butter game to win game three 25-13 and the match.

"It was not our best effort this evening," said Stryker Head Coach Brittany Cooley. "The Blackbirds came out swinging and hit their marks from the beginning throughout the match. They really set us back on our heels and they took charge. It is a mark of both their experience and their coaching. When we did turn the tide, it was too little, too late."