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ST. HENRY - Crestview and St. Henry advanced to the all-top 10 Division VI district volleyball semifinals next week at Van Wert with victories Wednesday night at the St. Henry Middle School Gymnasium.
The Redskins, ranked second in the state, dominated Spencerville 25-10, 25-6, 25-6 in the opener. Ninth-ranked Crestview held off Parkway 25-27, 25-12, 25-12, 25-23 in the nightcap.
St. Henry and Crestview will meeting Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Van Wert. Top ranked Coldwater will take on sixth-ranked Marion Local in the first semifinal match, beginning at 6 p.m.
St. Henry's Lauren Thieman sets the ball to a teammate.
St. Henry (19-4) grabbed an early 8-5 lead in the opening set, followed by a 12-3 run to open up a 20-8 lead that paved the way to an easy win.
The Bearcats (5-15) faced early deficits of 11-1 and 7-0 in the last two sets, and never really got on track.
Spencerville struggled with the short serves of the Redskins, who dropped several unreturned serves just past the 10-foot line.
St. Henry's Ellie Fullenkamp hits the ball over the net during Wednesday's match with Spencerville.
St. Henry collected 15 aces in the first two sets, while Ellie Fullenkamp took over in the third. The senior middle hitter registered five kills in the 'Skins first six points of the final set.
"She can definitely be dominant especially when she's working in transition, and getting up quick," St. Henry coach Tricia Rosenbeck said. "I don't think blockers can keep up with her. She did a great job of being up and available and ready to swing."
Fullenkamp finished the night with 14 kills. Brianna Mangen had 10 digs and five aces, Addy Homan six aces and 16 service points, and Lauren Thieman had 36 assists.
"This was a good way to start the tournament," Rosenbeck said. "Get a few of the nerves out with some of the younger girls who haven't played in a tournament situation before. And it was good to play this game at home if front of a lot of fans."
Parkway's Naomi Knapke spikes the ball over a pair of Crestview blockers.
Parkway (15-8) rallied to take the first set against Crestview (19-4). The Panthers were down 24-20, but got a block and a kill from Naomi Knapke that contributed to a 4-0 run and a tie score.
Haley McCoy got a kill to put the Knights up 25-24. Parkway fought off the fourth set point with a kill followed by another block and a kill from Knapke for the 27-25 margin.
But the joy of from the come-from-behind win quickly turned to doom as Crestview dominated the next two sets 25-12, 25-12.
"It was a lot of little mistakes that compounded on each other," Parkway coach Jordan Henkle said. "I just tried to keep them loose and relaxed because its tough to come back from two sets like that in a sectional game against another state ranked team."
Parkway looked like a different team in the fourth set, opening up a 7-1 lead right out of the gate. The Panthers stayed in control until the Knights grabbed their first lead of the set at 17-16.
Parkway fought back again and when senior Cali Bollenbacher served up an ace for a 23-21 Panther lead, it looked like the match was headed for a fifth set. However, it was Crestview's time to rally, finishing with four unanswered points for the 25-23 clincher.
Parkway's Bryn Schoenleben flips the ball over the net.
Despite the loss, Henkle was pleased with the way his team was able to show some life at the end.
"Momentum comes and goes with the wind it seems like," he said. "Our girls could have folded because their backs were against the wall, but they showed that they are fighters. They showed that they weren't going to give up easy, and were going to make them earn everything."
Brittyn Bruns paced the Panthers with 12 kills, 23 digs and four aces. Knapke added 10 kills, Bryn Schoenleben 24 assists, and Emmery Temple 20 digs.
Northwest Conference Player of the Year Adelyn Figley paced the Knights with 17 kills and three blocks.
