ARCANUM — The Tri-Village Lady Patriots battled back from early deficits and pushed Triad through two close sets before closing their season with a straight-set loss in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division VI volleyball tournament.
The No. 6 seed Lady Patriots fell to the No. 4 seed Lady Cardinals 25-15, 25-21, 25-23 after advancing with a four-set opening-round victory over Dixie.
Despite the loss, Tri-Village celebrated a milestone as Zoe Ayette broke the school’s career assists record during the match. Coach Alaine Kirby said the player entered the contest needing three assists to establish the record.
The achievement provided a bright spot on a night when the Lady Patriots fought to extend their season while adjusting to another lineup change.
“We had just had a lot of stuff thrown at us at the end of the season here,” Kirby said. “But I’m proud of the girls that did step up.”
Triad raced to a 12-2 advantage in the opening set. Tri-Village found its rhythm but couldn’t overcome the early deficit as the Lady Cardinals claimed a 10-point win.
“I think the first set we just came out way too slow,” Kirby said.
The Lady Patriots responded with a stronger second set. After a 7-7 tie, Tri-Village led 9-7 before the teams traded points, tying at 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Triad eventually created enough separation to take the set 25-21.
“We just played our game,” Kirby said. “We did the little things right. We communicated. We played as a team.”
Kirby credited improved passing, setting and defensive coverage for helping her team challenge Triad’s offense.
“We worked to find their hole,” she said. “We worked to cover their big hits. We had a lot of good digs.”
Triad opened the third set with six unanswered points, but Tri-Village answered with an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 9-8. The Lady Cardinals stretched their advantage to 14-9 before the Lady Patriots mounted another comeback.
A 9-2 Tri-Village run gave the Lady Cardinals an 18-16 lead and forced Triad to use its second timeout within minutes.
The Lady Patriots remained ahead 20-18 before Triad tied the score. Tri-Village later led 22-21 and 23-22, but the Lady Cardinals scored the final three points to complete the sweep.
“I was really hoping we were going to pull off that third set,” Kirby said. “We just made a few little errors that cost us.”
Kirby said postseason pressure and a new lineup presented challenges, including the absence of a starting freshman due to illness. Still, her lasting thoughts centered on her seniors and their influence on the program.
“I’ve coached Miley, Zoe and Gabby since sixth-grade JO season,” Kirby said. “Just being able to not only see them grow as volleyball players, but to see them grow into absolutely amazing young women, I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
She hopes their example carries forward through the underclassmen, emphasizing that the lessons learned through volleyball extend beyond the court.
Knowing how to work hard, overcome adversity, and work with others are central to what she wants players to take from the program.
“Yes, I want to win,” Kirby said, “but I want these girls to win at life.”
