NAPPANEE —
For NorthWood’s six volleyball seniors, Thursday night’s nonconference matchup against Elkhart Central was their final match on their home floor — the Panther Pit.
And according to Panther senior Savannah Bley, that was exactly the topic of discussion in the locker room before the match.
“It was pretty intense in there,” Bley said,
And at the end ofthe match, that intensity paid off with 25-19, 13-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12 victory over the Blue Blazers.
Panther coach Hillary Rebber said it was just the kind of intense match her team needs to get ready for next week’s Class 3A Fairfield sectional.
“It was one of those back-and-forth matches,” Rebber said. “We came out with intensity, and we finished with it.”
After the two teams traded the first two sets, the NorthWood pulled away midway through the third set.
Elkhart Central jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the fourth set, but the Panthers methodically chipped away, tying it at 16 and then taking a brief 18-17 lead before the Blazers rallied to take the set.
The Blue Blazers looked to be off to the better start in the fifth set, getting out to an early 6-2 advantage. But again the Panthers weathered the early Central blitz and responded with one of their own, ripping off an 8-2 run to take a 10-8 advantage.
NorthWood never trailed again.
Rebber’s team can’t quite look forward to the sectional yet, however. The Panthers will play in the Penn Tournament on Saturday, with four matches.
Rebber said the long day of volleyball should help her team.
“We’re hoping it will raise our level of play to where it needs to be for a tough sectional.” Rebber said.
Sports
Related Photos
-
NorthWood's Hanna Stump serves Thursday night against Elkhart Central. DAVID VANTRESS | THE GOSHEN NEWS
PREP VOLLEYBALL: Panthers outlast Blue Blazers
NorthWood in good shape as Class 3A sectional approaches, coach says
- Sports
-
-
COLLEGE BASEBALL: CWS newcomer Indiana loses to Mississippi St
Indiana coach Tracy Smith says he won't waste any time lamenting how close Sam Travis' ninth-inning fly ball came to leaving the ballpark. Or how close Mississippi State closer Jonathan Holder came to throwing the ball away and allowing the tying run to score.
-
GOLF: Rose wins US Open, more heartache for Mickelson
Justin Rose could see all the pieces coming together in this U.S. Open.
-
THE SKINNY: A weird spring is a wrap
GOSHEN - With the coming and going of last week’s IHSAA state boys golf tournament — which, by the way had local representation in Northridge’s Will Erekson — the book has been closed on another year of sports in our area.
-
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES WEB EXTRA: DeNato pitches Indiana to 2-0 win over Louisville
Joey DeNato dispelled the notion that College World Series newcomer Indiana is all about offense.
-
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: It’s all about baseball in Hoosier State for now
The calendar says it’s June, and here are Indiana and Louisville playing for a national championship.
-
NHL PLAYOFFS: Depth paying off for Chicago
Much as they would love to get big contributions from Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Chicago Blackhawks have shown they can win even when their biggest stars aren’t lighting up the scoreboard.
-
Learning curve
Not many business owners make the transition from restaurant owner to golf course owner.
-
U.S. OPEN: Mickelson, Horschel in the lead
Phil Mickelson made his first birdie on his last putt. Billy Horschel never missed a green. It was all they could do to barely break par against Merion, which is turning out to be the real star of this U.S. Open.
-
NFL: Pagano wants to focus on playbook
The Colts are done with minicamp. The work, however, has just begun.
-
NHL PLAYOFFS: Lots of fluids, rest after 3OT Stanley Cup opener
Long after the celebration was over, Marian Hossa finally made it home and managed to fall asleep around 3 a.m. The Chicago star woke up a few hours later, roused by a noisy neighbor.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs
Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks
Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
