PITSBURG — The Arcanum Lady Trojans clinched at least a share of the Western Ohio Athletic Conference volleyball championship Monday night, sweeping Franklin Monroe 25-10, 25-19, 25-19 to remain unbeaten in league play.
Arcanum improved to 17-3 overall and 10-0 in the WOAC heading into its final conference match Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Newton. A victory over the Lady Indians, who enter at 13-8 overall and 8-2 in conference play, would give the Lady Trojans the outright championship.
Freshman Elexie Fout helped set the tone in the opening set, serving 10 consecutive points as Arcanum built a 15-2 lead before closing out a 25-10 victory.
Arcanum coach Jacie Holman recently promoted Fout from the junior varsity squad, and the freshman has made an immediate impact.
“I thought this was a great time to bring her up, and she’s really stepped into her role, and she’s done a great job,” Holman said. “She gets a lot of balls that I feel like are not going to be playable, and she brings them right back, and we’re able to do something with them.”
The Lady Trojans opened the second set with an 8-2 lead, prompting a Franklin Monroe timeout. The Lady Jets called another timeout trailing 18-11 and narrowed the margin, but Arcanum maintained control to win 25-19.
Franklin Monroe pushed Arcanum harder in the third set, taking a 13-9 lead that brought a timeout from the Lady Trojans’ bench.
The Lady Jets extended their advantage to 17-12 before Arcanum answered with a 7-2 run to tie the score at 19. Following a Franklin Monroe timeout, the Lady Trojans scored six unanswered points to complete the sweep.
Holman said she was pleased with her team’s response despite stretches in which the Lady Trojans struggled to find their rhythm.
“I was proud of the fact that we didn’t let them take that third set,” she said. “Our mentality was that we were okay, and we came back and won that.”
Holman said Franklin Monroe’s style challenged a team accustomed to a faster pace.
“We’re used to a little bit quicker set game, and that wasn’t what we were getting,” she said.
Arcanum finished with 14 aces and six service errors, with seven aces coming in the final set. The Lady Trojans had no service errors in the opener.
“Our serves are very tough; it’s hard to read them, and you don’t realize that until you’re standing behind the ball,” Holman said. “Every one of my servers can place the ball.”
Holman also praised Gabby Nottingham’s ability to read the defense and place her attacks, mixing powerful swings with well-timed tips.
“She and I are constantly talking about what’s open,” Holman said. “If she’s got one or two blockers, where to put the ball.”
“She places it perfectly. She does an exceptional job, and Harper Smith is coming right there behind her,” Holman added. “She, as a sophomore, I think she’s got great things ahead of her.”
The Lady Trojans also received the No. 2 seed in Sunday’s tournament draw, giving Holman another reason for optimism as the regular season winds down.
“I’m exceptionally happy,” she said. “I was even nervous about seeding-wise, where we were going to get, and if we were going to get the respect that we wanted, and we did, and I appreciate that.”
Holman said the next step is turning that opportunity into postseason success.
“We can make a deep tournament run, but they’ve got to be locked in and ready to go for a couple more weeks,” she said.
Following Tuesday’s match at Newton, Arcanum will travel to Brookville on Thursday. That match will give the Lady Trojans a chance to become more familiar with the gym where they will play in the tournament.
Holman said familiarity and travel distance factored into her decision to select Brookville as Arcanum’s tournament site.
“We’re going to be comfortable with that gym a little bit, and it’s a shorter drive for us, which I think will be a benefit as well,” she said.
