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Bloom-Carroll overcomes Pleasant upset bid, Jonathan Alder avenges North Union loss October 28, 2005 By Jim Jicha The record will show that Bloom-Carroll defeated Marion Pleasant 3-1 in last evenings' District Semifinal at Pickerington North High School. But the fact is the state's top ranked Division III school was fortunate to overcome an upset bid from a fired up Spartan squad that shrugged off a decisive first game loss and battled with their hearts the rest of the way. Bloom-Carroll won 25-16, 25-22, 18-25, 25-22. Pleasant got off to a brief 4-2 lead in game one on a tip by middle blocker Holly Hunt, two kills from junior outside Kalie Denton and an ace by Hunt. And they held 6'3" Ohio State bound Bulldog middle hitter Meghan Simons to just one kill. When Casey Thomas hammered a kill down the line to make it 4-3, that sent Simons to the back court. And that's where she began to wreak havoc, sending a variety of jump serves at Pleasant and scoring four aces in the process. When she finally served one out, the Bulldogs were up 9-4 and they were not headed the rest of the game. With the score 10-7, Bloom-Carroll used both defense and offense to go on a 6-1 run. Sarah Kelly served an ace, Christine Stephan spiked a kill after Ohio State bound setter/hitter Ashley Hughes rejected a Spartan missive, Katie Kreutz scored a kill just after digging a spike, and Simons followed a termination shot with a booming block. From there the teams traded points until the end. There was not a wisp of smoke from the brushfire that would break out in game two. Pleasant opened the second frame with a hitting error, and Simons demolished an overpass. But when Pleasant outside Heather Garner blasted a kill down the left line, and freshman middle/outside Darien Hempy tipped over the block to tie it, trouble was brewing although it wasn't yet apparent. Kreutz tipped into a hole, following a nice dig by Hughes, and Simons smashed a kill through the block after saves by libero Noelle Coffman and Stephan. However, Garner scored a tip and a Bloom-Carroll error left the score tied again. And so it went, until suddenly Pleasant edged ahead 7-6 and 10-7. Five errors ensued, leaving the Spartans up 12-10, and then came a Bulldog run. Stephan started it with a kill, and Hughes served four points on two aces, a kill by Stephan and a block by Simons. The teams exchanged points with Hughes stuff blocking a tip to make the score 21-18. But Garner scored on a smash that was blocked way out, and after a Bulldog hitting error, Hempy blocked Stephan. On the next volley Haley Hempy dug a spike by Simons and Garner blasted a cross court kill, and Pleasant was now leading 22-21. Hughes came to the rescue with a great dump, and Simons blocked Garner's next missive. Pleasant then hit one out, but this came only after the Bulldogs had dug three Spartan spikes. A Spartan hitting error ended the game. How crucial pulling game two out of the fire was became readily apparent when Darien Hempy blocked Simons to start game three. Garner followed with a kill, the Bulldogs hit one out, setter Ashley Andrews served an ace, and Garner scored another kill. The Spartans led 5-0 and would be on top the rest of the way. With Pleasant up 8-2, Simons scored scored four of the next six points, but Haley Hempy had a kill and block for the other two for Pleasant. The Bulldogs cut the margin to 12-10, but Pleasant rallied for five more with Denton serving. Bloom-Carroll rallied with Stephan spiking a kill, Simons stuffing a spike past Garner and following up with a kill, and Stephan serving an ace. They got within two at 20-18, but Pleasant then scored out behind the serving of Kim Clarke. Haley Hempy scored a knock down kill and Hempy and Andrews teamed on a block for the game winner. It appeared that the Bulldogs finally had the brushfire under control as they roared to a 14-4 lead in game four. Simons and Hughes scored four apiece, and Stephan, Kelly and Kreutz contributing one each, on a variety of kills, blocks and aces. But things began smoldering again as Andrews nailed a dump and Pleasant rallied for six. Denton served an ace, Garner demolished a cross court set from Andrews and she then scored on a block. Bloom-Carroll also contributed two errors. Scoring went back and forth until it was 19-12 and Pleasant rallied again. Garner scored on a hit to the back line and then served four points, as Denton spiked a kill and lobbed a hit over Simons that fell in, and Haley Hempy scored two kills. With game five becoming a possibility, play became very intense. Simons cremated a spike to end Pleasants' rally, but Denton drove a cross court smash to the opposite line to leave the Bulldogs on top 20-18. Casey Thomas scored for Bloom-Carroll on a cross court smash after a great dig by Kreutz, and Denton responded with a hit off the block that fell in. Bloom-Carroll's next hit was out and when Haley Hempy served an ace the score was tied. And once again Bloom-Carroll dug in. Hughes made another great play - she made several during the match - tipping an off-pass from way back of the net into a hole. Kelly rejected a Pleasant spike after which the Spartans hit one out, and Pleasant followed with a hitting error that put the Bulldogs on the cusp at 24-21. Garner kept the Spartans alive with a kill. On the next and final volley Bloom-Carroll went to their star. She was in the backcourt, but no matter, she terminated the ball, game and match from there. Finally, the Bulldogs had put out the fire. Bulldog Coach Aaron Ridenour was happy with how his team reacted under pressure. Pleasant has a traditionally strong program, and the Bulldogs knew the Spartans would put up a fight. Ridenour cited Hughes for her leadership and for hustling all over the court. Bloom-Carroll is now 24-0, while Pleasant closes at 18-7. ***************************************************** In the nightcap, Jonathan Alder won a hard fought 25-20, 26-24, 25-20 match over North Union, which avenged an earlier 21-25, 25-27 loss to the Wildcats in the final of the Triad Invitational. The win did not come easily, however, as every game was in contention. Katie Troyer paced the Pioneers in the first game. The senior middle hitter had eight kills, the first two in an opening 4-0 run and, except for one tie, the Pioneers led all the way. North Union closed to 5-3, but Alder moved out to 15-9 and 19-13. It was then that Wildcat hitter Stephanie Goddard spiked a kill, sparking a game-tying rally. Olivia Britton served as Goddard contributed a block on Troyer, and followed with a kill through Alder's block. Troyer ended the run with a tip and Jessica Adams served Alder to game point. Adrienne Gibson blocked for sideout, but Samantha Maddux iced the game for Alder with a kill. The next game went somewhat back and forth. North Union led 6-4 in game two, after which Alder went on a six point run with Maddux serving. Paige Bumgarner served the Wildcats to a 10-10 tie. Adams smashed a kill down the left line and the Pioneers stayed in front until Goddard spiked a kill and served three points to tie it at 17. Alder went back on top on kills by Maddux and Adams, but a service error and three more service points by Goddard, including her second ace, gave North Union a 23-22 lead. Adams tied it with a spike through blockers and Brianna Votaw came up with a booming block to move Alder to game point. Jamie Goddard tied it again with a nice tip, but Votaw put her team back on top with a left side spike to a hole in the middle. Alder won when a Wildcat spike skipped off the net and out of bounds. Game three saw Alder lead early up to 8-6. At that point, Britton scored a kill and Bumgarner served three more points to move the Wildcats to a 10-8 margin. Alder tied it, and soon moved up 14-12 as Troyer smashed a set from Adams, Maddux spiked a kill on a fake by Troyer and Adams served up an ace. The Wildcats, however, surged back in front 18-14, behind the serving of B.J. Wilds and two kills from Kelsey Smith. Troyer came up with a two-hander into a hole along the net and a short set terminating blast, but each was followed by a Pioneer mistake, leaving the tally at 20-16. Troyer then spiked a kill from back court, and Maddux served eight straight points for the victory. Megan Walk scored two on a tip and a spike, Maddux served an ace and Emily Thelen blocked a Wildcat tip. On the final play, Stephanie Goddard spiked a well placed hit. But Maddux dove to her left and got a piece of it, libero Brooke Hochstetler popped the dig over the net and North Union's next missive was out. ****************************************************** Bloom-Carroll and Jonathan Alder will meet in a District final on Saturday at 4:00PM. |
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