As exciting as this fall’s Mudsock events have been, it’s likely that nothing will top Thursday’s volleyball showdown between Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers.
The Royals won a back-and-forth five-set match 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 26-24, 15-8. It was Youth League night, and everyone in attendance – including the well over 100 students from both schools – got to saw an intense match that went all the way to the last point.
“The atmosphere in here was just absolutely for both sides electric,” said Southeastern coach Jason Young. “When you got chanting going on for, what, 10 minutes? It was the most incredible atmosphere I think I’ve ever been in.”
That chanting began halfway through the second set, when the HSE and Fishers student sections went back and forth asking the other one “We got spirit, yes we do! We got spirit, how about you?” It lasted for pretty much the entire second half of the set, and finally ended when the Fishers side cheered a Jada Allen kill that gave the Tigers the second set.
Southeastern led 6-3 in the third set, after which Fishers won nine of the next 11 points to take a 12-8 lead Mikayla Christiansen and Ava Vickers helped out, as each hit a pair of kills. The Royals came back to tie it at 14-14, but the Tigers won the next three points, and that carried them to the set.
Fishers bounced out to a 9-3 lead in the fourth set before Southeastern made its own run of five straight points. That included consecutive aces from Grace Hunter. The Tigers then went up 13-8 and were able to hold off the Royals’ runs for most of the set, at one point leading 22-19.
But Southeastern surged at that point, making another five-point run to go up 24-22. Back-to-back kills from Allen and Christiansen tied the set up at 24-all, but Emily Weber gave HSE another set point, and Maddie Cole hit a kill to clinch the set for the Royals.
Southeastern blasted through the fifth set, at one point leading 11-1, then 12-3. The Tigers made one more run, scoring four unanswered points to get within 12-7. But Hunter hit a kill, then Jordan Engelmann served an ace to set up match point. Fishers one the next point, but Cole put down a kill to end the match.
“Obviously volleyball’s a game of momentum,” said Young. “The momentum shifted and we took advantage. The bench came alive.”
Delaney Garner hit 14 kills and also made three blocks. Hunter and Abby Weber both had 11 kills, with Weber also serving three aces. Cole had nine kills. On defense, Carly Mills collected 25 digs, Lillian Leiner had 18 and Kyla Berg picked up 15.
For the Tigers, Camryn Haworth had a big night with 19 assists, 11 kills, 10 digs, five blocks and three aces. Allen had eight kills and five blocks, with Christiansen hitting nine kills and getting four blocks. Emily Waldrop had 10 kills and two aces.
Bryn Roberts had 20 digs. Ava Vickers made nine blocks, while Grace Dunnuck had four blocks. Olivia Lux served two aces. Emily Brewer handed out 18 assists.
“The atmosphere was incredible,” said Fishers coach Steven Peek. “Our student section showed up. They always do. The Tiger Cage is phenomenal. We’ve really been working on our own internal energy as well and I thought that we played with tremendous heart for most of the match.”
Both teams are back in action on Saturday. The Royals will host the Southeastern Showcase, while Fishers travels to New Castle.
In another all-county matchup, Westfield earned a sweep of Noblesville in three hard-fought sets, 25-20, 25-23, 26-24 Thursday at The Mill.
Lexie Almodovar had 14 assists, 12 kills, 12 digs, three aces and two blocks for the Millers. Rose Crist added seven digs, six kills and one block. Riley Branch also dished out 14 assists. Diana Cox picked up 10 digs, Ella Peter had six kills and one block and Anna Kiser made one block.
Westfield stats were unavailable.
The Millers will host their annual Noblesville Volleyball Invitational on Saturday morning, while the Shamrocks will compete at the Southeastern Showcase.
University swept Shortridge on Thursday, 25-16, 25-11, 25-11.
Stella Behforouz led the Trailblazers in kills, while Soren Rothenberg led in serving.
Sheridan dropped a Hoosier Heartland Conference match to Carroll on Thursday, 25-18, 25-9, 25-17.
Allie Delph hit five kills and also had five digs and two aces. Abbi Clouser collected five digs. Cheyenne Brooks and Becca Merritt both had two solo blocks, and Taylor Bates handed out five assists.
The Blackhawks next play Monday at Tipton.
The Hamilton Southeastern volleyball team won a hard-fought, exciting match Thursday for the Mudsock trophy. The Royals beat the Tigers in five sets.
More photos can be found at this site: https://capturephotographybydkirk.smugmug.com/HSE-vs-Fishers-G-V-VB-9122019/ (Kirk Green)
Noblesville’s Bella Hines (4) and Ella Peter go up for a block as Westfield’s Kenzie Daffinee hits the ball during the Millers-Shamrocks volleyball match Thursday at The Mill. (Kent Graham)