By RICHIE HALL
After a season-opening win at North Central on Tuesday, the Noblesville volleyball team played its first home match Wednesday at The Mill.
The Millers took on Mount Vernon and battled before falling in three sets, 26-24, 25-16, 25-22. Noblesville battled a hard-hitting Marauders team all the way through, and managed to get some big hits of its own, especially early in the first set.
“I think it’s going well,” said first-year NHS coach Annie Phillips of the early part of the season. “We’re putting some things together. We’re doing the right things. We just have to take care of the first ball, and I think that’s everybody’s story. Serve and serve receive.”
Mount Vernon had gotten up 4-0, but the Millers roared back to take a 9-6 lead. Rose Crist was a big part of that run, as she blasted five kills.
The Marauders eventually came back to tie the match at 10-10. Crist hit another kill to put Noblesville up 18-15, but Mount Vernon made another comeback, then won the set on an ace.
The Millers’ Ella Peter made a successful net tip to put her team up 2-0 early in the second. But Mount Vernon took over after that, jumping ahead 12-5, finishing that run with six unanswered points. Noblesville played evenly with the Marauders after that, but Mount Vernon was able to keep its margin from six to nine points for the remainder of the set.
The third set was another close battle where neither team led by more than three points. The Millers led 13-10 at one point, with Peter helping out by making another net tip. The Marauders came back again, and the match remained tight until Mount Vernon closed it by winning three of the last four points.
Crist finished the match with 10 kills and one block, while Bella Hines and Gabby Weihe both hit eight kills. Hines also served one ace and made one block. Riley Branch handed out 29 assists and made eight digs, Diana Cox picked up six digs and served an ace, while Peter had one block.
“They’re doing a good job,” said Phillips. “As we play more in games, we’re going to connect all those pieces together.”
Noblesville goes back on the road tonight, playing at Bishop Chatard.
Westfield improved to 2-0 with a sweep of Greenfield-Central, 25-17, 25-23, 25-22, Wednesday at The Rock.
Grace Stewart powered the offense with 16 kills and two blocks, while Kenzie Daffinee had a blanced night, getting 16 digs while hitting 12 kills. Peighton Isley had 18 digs.
Fishers won a five-set match on the road Wednesday, beating McCutcheon 25-18, 23-25, 28-26, 16-25, 15-12.
Camryn Haworth had an incredible game, with 45 assists, 19 digs, 13 kills and two aces. Jada Allen led the kills with 20, followed by Emily Waldrop with 12, JaNyah Henderson with 11 and Mikayla Christiansen with five.
Samantha Perdue picked up 26 digs, while Waldrop made five digs. Henderson dominated the net with 5.5 blocks, while Christiansen added two blocks and Allen had 1.5 blocks. Ava Vickers served three aces, with Waldrop hitting two.
The Tigers improved to 3-0 with the victory and will host Brebeuf Jesuit on Saturday morning.
Rose Crist hit 10 kills for Noblesville in its Wednesday match. (Kirk Green)