PITSBURG – Undefeated in Volleyball at 6-0 in the WOAC Franklin Monroe squared off with Newton needing a win to keep pace with 8-0 Arcanum. In a thrilling 5 set match it was the Indians escaping the Hanger by winning the final set and making the path to a league title more difficult for the Jets.
After Newton went up 24 to 13 in the opening set it would have been easy for FM to start looking toward the next set … but instead they put together a rally, fighting back within a few points before the Indians collected themselves to finish off what they started 25-21 to win the set.
The rally by the Jets however changed the flow of the game as they found success in changing up the way they were serving and attacking the Indians running out to a big 2nd set lead. Newton battle back at the end but the lead FM had was too big as they won it 25-10.
Newton coach Danita Rapp complimented Franklin Monroe on how they played especially in the 2nd set.
“I felt like in the second set, they kind of had their serving game going and we struggled to figure it out. They were serving them shallow and slow which slowed our offense down very successfully, as she pointed out the service of Presley Cox and Reagan Flora. We kind of had to spot them as they really worked us over enough to keep our offense in check,” she complimented.
Franklin Monroe coach Angie Filbrun echoed the thoughts by Rapp.
“I think my girls did an excellent job of that tonight with their serves, creating out of system and when they made an error, took advantage. We have to score in those situations, and you have to grab the momentum,” Filbrun stated.
Neither team would be able to create much of an advantage in set three or four as both teams showcased long rallies, and big-time plays.
Newton would make just a few more plays winning the 3rd set 25-19.
FM held a 3-point lead late in the 4th set only to see the Indians come back to tie at 24.
Then what appeared to be a point for Newton was overturned after a long discussion by officials that gave the point to the Jets, who snagged the next point to win the 4th set 26-24.
Newton however blocked out the ending of the 4th set … or maybe used it as motivation, because they dominated the final set with senior Sienna Montgomery rising to another level banging home a number of kills as her teammates put her in the right spot to do it with the Indians Newton winning the 5th set in convincingly 15-3.
“I knew it was going to be a tough battle tonight. These girls know each other so well and we needed this win definitely to put us in a better place in the conference,” Rapp commented.
Rapp expected it might go to five sets but felt like her team coming off a recent five set loss learned from it and was ready.
“I felt like my girls understood after we took a five-set loss on Saturday, and we knew where the problem was and tonight they were working through that, making sure not to repeat the same scenario,” Rapp expressed.
“After that second set where we had 20 plus error, I felt like my girls really got back into it after struggling to figure out their serving. But I’m proud of my girls on the way they figured it out, stepped up and made it happen after that,” Rapp concluded.
Newton improves to 10-6 overall and 4-3 in the WOAC now 3 games behind league leading Arcanum. The Indians will host Tri-County North on Thursday.
“It was a tough loss tonight … but in the end, we have to hold our heads high, and we have to be ready to go on Thursday ready to go again,” Filbrun concluded.
For the Jets it was a disappointing loss dropping them to 8-7 overall and 6-1 in the WOAC and will have to rebound in a big way and it doesn’t get any easier as they will travel to Tri-Village on Thursday, host Mississinawa Monday and then take on Arcanum next Tuesday.
