GREENVILLE — The Greenville Lady Wave earned their second consecutive Miami Valley League victory Thursday night, sweeping the visiting Stebbins Lady Indians in three sets.
Greenville won 25-13, 25-21 and 25-20 to improve to 4-4 on the season. The victory followed Tuesday night’s 3-0 conference win at Xenia.
The Lady Wave jumped out to a 5-1 advantage in the opening set and extended the lead to 18-10, prompting a Stebbins timeout. Greenville later pushed the margin to double digits at 23-13 before closing out the set with a 25-13 win.
Stebbins challenged Greenville throughout the second set. The score was tied at 11, 15 and 17 before the Lady Indians took their first lead of the night at 18-17.
Greenville responded by outscoring Stebbins 8-3 to secure a 25-21 victory and take a two-set lead.
The Lady Indians scored the first two points of the third set, but Greenville senior captain Megan Loudy went to the service line and helped the Lady Wave reel off 10 consecutive points.
Greenville extended its lead to 17-7 before head coach Michelle Hardesty and assistant coach Jim Hardesty began working younger players into the lineup.
“We got some experience for people who haven’t gotten to play a lot this year,” Jim Hardesty said. “Some of these seniors gave up a little bit of time for them to get in there, and I appreciate that. It takes a whole team to get ready.”
Stebbins capitalized on the lineup changes and used an 11-1 run to tie the score at 18.
The Lady Wave worked through the comeback, regained a 21-20 advantage, and scored the final five points to complete the sweep.
Hardesty said it was important to give Greenville’s younger players meaningful court time.
“It doesn’t really do any good to put them in during games that don’t mean anything,” he said. “Haillee Fourman went in there at the end of the second set, and that game was still on the line. She had to perform, and she did a great job.”
Loudy’s leadership helped steady Greenville when the Lady Wave needed important points.
“As a leader, I need to hold my teammates accountable,” Loudy said. “A team has to work together. Someone has to hold people together and say, ‘You’re doing this wrong. I know you can do better.’ I feel like that is really important.”
Loudy said her teammates understand that her advice is intended to help the team improve.
“It’s constructive criticism,” she said. “I think everybody hustles, and everybody does a great job.”
Hardesty said Loudy and Avery carried their strong play from the Xenia victory into Thursday’s match.
“The game means a lot to her,” Hardesty said of Loudy. “This is four years with us, and she just gets better every time. Her and Avery put on a clinic on how to put the ball away up there, and they carried it over tonight.”
Hardesty also credited Greenville’s improved passing and the effort of its setters.
“Our passing got a lot better tonight, and our setters do one heck of a job chasing it down,” he said. “If we can clean up a few things, everything will take care of itself.”
With eight seniors leading this season’s team, Hardesty said the Lady Wave are also beginning to prepare younger players for future varsity roles.
“The future is bright here,” he said. “They just have to keep working at it. Right now, we’re not done with these seniors. We have eight of them, and we have a long way to go.”
