SHS Volleyball Sets Sights For District Fight After Senior Night

The Lady Eagles (13-14-1) fought with grit against a tough Union squad (26-3-2) on Thursday, Oct. 17. They fell in three sets by scores of 25-12, 28-26 and 25-16. The Lady Wildcats won the conference title after their victory.

Sullivan wrapped up the regular season in their clash with the Lady Wildcats. Next, they will play either Owensville (third seed) or St. James (sixth) in the Class 3 District 9 Semifinal on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m.

The Lady Eagles are gearing up to battle for their first title since 2022. Head coach Sarah Rochleau stated, “As we head into districts, we will continue to focus on the things that we have been working on all year. Winning the serve and pass battle will be key for us, so that will be an emphasis.”

Sullivan held their senior night ceremony before taking on Union. They recognized Stevi Saling, Kelsie Hansel and Trinity Midyett for their contributions to the program. Rochleau thanked the three players for making their mark on the court. She said, “I hope that our seniors will carry all of the fun memories and lessons learned with them as they move on to the next phase of their lives. I also hope that they will continue to find joy in the sport of volleyball.”

First Set

The Lady Wildcats came in hot in the first set with a 2-0 lead.

Sullivan capitalized on Union’s errors to push themselves ahead 4-2.

The Lady Wildcats clawed back to tie, but Allie Brune blasted a kill to put her team back on top.

Union kept their game alive with low digs, snatching back a 6-5 lead.

Abby Record loaded up kills to keep the Lady Eagles and Wildcats neck-and-neck.

Union continued sending strikes over the net for scores, leaving Sullivan behind. Karlee Head executed a block, while Ava Blankenship and Saling tried to put their team back on track with kills. 

Union was able to hang on to their lead, winning the first set 25-12.

Second Set

The Lady Wildcats clawed out a 5-0 lead to start the second contest.

Sydney Montee served up points, and Saling spiked scores to regain control of the game. Blankenship executed a block to cut Sullivan’s deficit to one, then Saling tied it 11-11 on a kill.

Montee landed another ace to seize the first lead of the game for the Lady Eagles.

Union rose back on top, but Record smoked a kill to even the scoreboard again. Midyett served up senior magic to push her team three points ahead. Blankenship fired two kills to give Sullivan a 23-20 lead.

The Lady Wildcats scored three to tie, and then Sullivan put themselves on top again with errors. When falling behind, Record and Head regained the lead for the Lady Eagles with kills. Despite Sullivan’s strong fight, Union grabbed the final three scores to win 28-26.

Third Set

The Lady Wildcats started on top with two scores in the third matchup.

Montee tied it 2-2 for Sullivan with an ace. Brune executed a block and an ace to keep their momentum alive.

Union continued firing on all cylinders, racking up five unanswered points.

The Lady Eagles tried to mount a comeback on Union’s mistakes. Blankenship and Saling drilled kills to put Sullivan on the board. Record made a block for Sullivan’s final score before the Lady Wildcats took the third set 25-16.

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