By GREG KEIM
If Fairfield senior Katie Gall was completely healthy, it would be scary what she could do on the volleyball court.
Even at less than 100 per cent, she is quite awesome.
The middle blocker had a team-high 11 kills as the Falcons defeated the Jimtown Jimmies 25-17, 25-12, 25-12 in a semifinal of the Class 2A high school girls sectional Saturday afternoon at Bremen.
“She has had a problem in a knee all season,” Fairfield coach Carla Herschberger said. “There is something wrong in there and, after the season is over, we will find out what the problem is. She is not really jumping out there and has been begging to play back row this season.”
Gall had plenty of help on the Falcon offense as sophomore outside hitter Haley Bechtel pounded 10 kills, senior outside hitter Kaija Wimmer and senior middle blocker Emily Waits both seven and junior outside hitter Jaime Stack six.
“We have athletic girls who have been working on their game since junior high,” Herschberger said. “We are peaking at just the right time. Last weekend in the NECC tournament we played like this every game. We didn’t have any letdowns.”
Stack paced the defense with 12 digs, freshman Riley Troyer added nine, Bechtel eight, Wimmer and junior libero Amanda Cross six apiece.
“We have gotten over the fact that this is a young team and the leaders we had last year graduated. The freshmen on the varsity have all been watching us since they were in junior high. They saw an example of how the game is supposed to be played.”
Troyer is in a key spot as the setter. She ran the offense with peak efficiency, dishing out 37 assists.
“She just turned 15 the other day,” Herschberger said. “It hit me that a 14-year-old had been running my offense most of the season.”
Troyer also served the final five points of the third-and-deciding game, including an ace that made the score 23-12.
Gall, Bechtel and Wimmer each served three aces. Wimmer and Bechtel both had two blocks.
“Wimmer may not have all the stats, but she is the glue that holds us together,” Herschberger said. “Every team needs someone like that.”
