Second time's the charm for Lady Tigers

By STEVE COLON

Expositor Editor

ARCHBOLD - Things are almost always easier the second time around and second chances can often pay off. That has certainly been the case for the Liberty Center Tigers in the Division III volleyball post-season.

The Tigers, who lost to both Archbold and Evergreen in the NWOAL volleyball race, came back and beat both teams when it counted and now advance to the District Finals on Saturday in Napoleon.

After beating Archbold on Saturday, the Tigers came out and edged Northwest Ohio Athletic League champs Evergreen in five hotly contested games. The Tigers won 25-20, 17-25, 25-16, 19-25, 15-12.

After the Vikings had knotted things up in game four, it appeared the Tigers would coast to a game five victory. They went up 5-0 and led 11-5 before Evergreen made a run for the victory.

Blair Bohland got a kill to spark the Vikings, followed by a Liberty Center carry. Taylor Langenderfer scored on an ace. A Tiger hit into the net made the score 12-10. Cassie Babcock and Mackenzie Pinkelman each had big kills to get the game to 13-12 forcing a Tiger time-out.

After the break, Caitlin Westhoven missed getting a full hit on the ball but it went over the net into a Viking gap for game point. On the next volley, Evergreen's hit sailed past the baseline for a Liberty Center win.

"We had too many errors, way too many errors," said first year Viking coach Kelsey Hicks.

Yet, she was still pleased with the her team's tenacity all season and especially in the fifth set.

"That was one positive thing about our team all season," she said. "At no time do they give up. Even that last hit that went out of bounds, I told the girls I want them to stay aggressive."

Tiger head coach Nikki Retcher, also in her first year, was just glad her team got a second chance at Archbold and Evergreen saying league play helped them prepare for the tournament.

"We knew where they were going and where their strong hitters are," she said. "We also were able to practice all week for their defense."

There were times when the Tigers seemed to lull, but Retcher will still take her team's win.

"It doesn't matter how we played tonight," she said. "It's a win, a huge win for us."

The fifth and deciding set saw several Tigers getting into the offense. Kaitlin Rohrs had been very strong at the neat through three games, before the Vikings got some blocks and digs on her powerful hitting, forcing a strategy change in the final game.

"I wanted everybody to touch the ball in that final game," Retcher said.

Through the first four games, the team that won got out to a lead and never looked back. In game one, the Tigers went up 20-15 and won. In game two, the Vikes led 20-14 and won. Game three saw an 18-12 Tiger led which they held. After a 16-16 tie, the Vikings went on a streak to win the fourth game 25-19.

"That was the deciding factor in all four games, whoever was able to get a cushion was able to keep it," Hicks said. "Volleyball is a momentum sport."

The Tigers will face St. Henry in Napoleon Saturday.