By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
NOBLESVILLE – Thursday night’s Hoosier Crossroads Conference volleyball match between Fishers and Noblesville at The Mill was about as close as a four-set match could get.
Both teams fought to the very end, but it was the Tigers that prevailed, 25-21, 15-25, 25-23, 25-22. It was an exciting match, with several big hits and aces, amazing plays and the intensity was sustained throughout the entire night.
Fishers won a close first set, but the Millers were able to take control in the second set and steadily increase their lead. Ava Harris had several kills, including a net tip that won the set.
The third set was the closest of the entire match. Noblesville again led early, going up by as much as 17-13. But the Tigers made a four-point run to the match at 17-17; Leslie Groff hit a kill, Ava Tester served an ace, Margo Hernandez put down a kill, then Tester tied the set with another ace. The Millers jumped out to a 22-19 lead before Fishers won six of the next seven points to take the set.
“Noblesville, heck of a team,” said Fishers coach Steven Peek. “I thought they were phenomenal and really consistent and we were really not, but we really found a way to do the things that we are exceptional at, at the right times.”
In the fourth set, Fishers blasted out to a 9-3 lead, which included kills from Hernandez and Groff, an ace by Adi Amirrezvari and a Roberts block. But the Millers stormed back to tie the set at 9-9. Harris served three straight aces and Aubrey Stitcher hit a kill.
The back and forth continued again all through the set. Fishers led 22-20 before Noblesville tied it up with a Harris kill and ace. But the Tigers took the next three points for the match, with Roberts hitting a kill and Ava Vickers serving an ace on match point.
“We fought,” said Peek. “We’ve been talking a lot about fighting no matter what, being tenacious. We absolutely did that from start to finish, which I love to see.”
Vickers hit 14 kills and made six blocks, with Roberts getting 11 kills and Lucy Kay putting down 10. Hernandez dished out 41 assists and also had eight digs. Amirrezvari led the defense with 17 digs and also served four aces. Brynn Zastrow collected eight digs and Groff hit four aces.
Harris led Noblesville’s offense with nine kills and five aces, and also got 13 digs. Madison Brown handed out 27 assists and served four aces. Gabby Weihe added seven kills and four blocks while Reese Resmer hit six kills. Ava Rundle had 23 digs.
“I think that they fought the whole, entire time,” said Noblesville coach Annie Poulson. “They never gave up. They fought continuously.”
Poulson said that it was a “step up” for the Millers team. “I think it’s given us some confidence and we’re prepared to see them later,” she said.
Fishers is 2-0 in HCC play and 5-3 overall, and plays Saturday at a tournament in Providence. The Millers are 0-2 in the conference and 8-2 overall, and play Tuesday at McCutcheon.
Click here to see more match images.