Roger Bacon didn’t make many mistakes in a 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 win against the Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 31, in a Division III district title match at Tippecanoe High School. The Spartans didn’t let the Tigers set up their offense, and most of all, didn’t seem fazed in the closing points of the final game.
The Tigers rallied to take a 15-14 lead in Game 3 and finally swung the momentum their way. The game see-sawed after that and was tied at 23 by a big kill from the Tigers’ Becka Peterson.
So what happened next? A quick kill by Bacon’s Ally Hawkins to set up match point, then a volley that wasn’t returned for the game and the match.
“They’re a solid team,” WLS head coach Susan Middleton said of the Spartans. “They were able to really mix up their offense and that was causing trouble for our blockers.”
The loss ended one of the best seasons in the Tigers’ history. They finished with a 23-2 record, an undefeated season in the Ohio Heritage Conference and a No. 7 ranking in the state coaches poll. It was also a step forward after losing in the first round last season.
“It sets your sights for the next season. ... Now we need to win districts. That’s how you build a program,” Middleton said.
Roger Bacon (21-4 and the Girls’ Greater Cincinnati League Grey Central champs) was in control throughout most of the match. The Tigers cut an early deficit to 18-15 in the first game, only to see a four-point swing in the Spartans’ favor for a 21-15 lead and eventually the game.
The Spartans sprinted to leads of 5-0 and 8-2 in the second game to cruise to an easy win. The points piled up quick as the Spartans shut down the Tigers’ big hitters, Paige Parker and Peterson.
“Unfortunately, the passes weren’t there all the time tonight and we couldn’t run the quick offense,” Middleton said.
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