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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
The Rochester volleyball team had three set points in Game 1 against visiting Wabash at the RHS gym Tuesday.
They also had three set points in Game 4.
But they did not win either set and wound up falling 29-27, 26-24, 20-25, 29-27 in a nailbiting four-setter.
Rochester dropped to 7-17 overall and 2-6 in the Three Rivers Conference. Wabash improved to 17-6, 5-1.
The teams could meet again in the sectional at Southwood. The sectional draw is 7 p.m. Sunday, and the sectional starts Oct. 15.
Audrey Bolinger led Rochester with 19 kills, and she also had nine digs. Darah Strasser had a triple-double – 10 kills, 10 digs and 18 serves received – as a weapon in both the front and back rows. Aubrey Wilson had 18 digs and 35 assists. Mia Howdeshell had 21 digs and 24 serves received. Avarie Montel had five kills and four blocks.
Rochester led 24-22 in Game 4 before Wabash won the next three points. An Amaya Sellers service error on match point made it 25-all. A Sellers tip error gave Rochester a third set point, but Bryleigh Boggs’ kill tied it at 26. A Bolinger kill error gave Wabash another match point, but Bolinger atoned on the next point to tie it at 27.
Finally, a Rochester dig error and a Sellers kill ended the match.
“Too many little errors,” Rochester coach Laneia Strasser said. “We missed too many serves, couldn’t capitalize on a really good set. We needed to keep (Bryleigh) Boggs in the back row longer, and we couldn’t do that today.”
Rochester forced a fourth set after trailing 14-12 in the third set, but a Bolinger kill capped a 5-1 run as Rochester grabbed a 17-15 lead. They traded sideouts until Rochester closed on another 5-1 run that included a bizarre free ball kill from Howdeshell from the back row in what turned out to be her only kill of the night.
A Shaylee Jacobs service error into the net and a Bolinger kill off a Wabash overpass ended the game and forced a Game 4.
Rochester was coming off a 1-3 performance at the Warsaw Invitational Saturday. That included a win over Tippecanoe Valley in which they trailed 21-8 in the second set and came back to win three.
“There were good moments all along the way at Warsaw, more good moments than bad,” coach Strasser said. “I think our girls are finally getting mentally stronger. We’re digging ourselves out of bigger holes. … The team that started playing at the beginning of the season, that would have never happened.”
Wabash led 16-10, 17-11 and 18-12 at one point in Game 1, and they still led 23-20 when coach Strasser used her final timeout of the set after a ding-dong play.
The timeout seemed to change the momentum. A Jillian Sailors back row kill error, a Bolinger kill, a Bolinger tip and a Maddy Bailon ace gave Rochester their first lead since it was 4-3.
Except now it was set point. A Karlee Bearman stuff block denied the first set point, and Rochester also had set points at 25-24 and 27-26 before Wabash won the final three points.’
The Lady Zs trailed 21-19 in Game 2 before a Brailyn Hunter kill and a Wilson service winner tied it. They would again be tied at 22, 23 and 24 before a Bearman kill and a Rochester hitting error would give Wabash a 2-0 lead.
After that, sophomore Makenna McKee got more playing time.
“There was a lot of moving around tonight,” coach Strasser said of her rotations. “I’ve kind of gotten to that point in the season when the mental errors can’t take us out of the game. There is a big difference between a freshman player and a junior and senior or even a sophomore. Maddy (Bailon) is a very athletic kid. She was just making freshman errors. So why not give Makenna a shot? She’s super athletic too. … She did great tonight. She stepped up and filled those shoes, and it was awesome to see. It’s good to see that part of the game clicking for her where she’s in control, and she’s making smart choices.”
Coach Strasser also said afterwards that Lillee Lett will return for the senior night match against Winamac tonight. Lett has not played due to a right lower leg injury since the Peru match on Sept. 5.
Wabash def. Rochester, 29-27, 26-24, 20-25, 29-27
Rochester stats
Ella Hake – 4 kills, 2 blocks, 3 digs, 1 serve received; Makenna McKee – 1 kill, 5 digs, 9 serves received; Darah Strasser – 10 kills, 10 digs, 2 assists, 18 serves received; Aubrey Wilson – 3 kills, 1 ace, 2 blocks, 18 digs, 35 assists, 2 serves received; Avarie Montel – 5 kills, 4 blocks, 2 assists, 1 serve received; Mia Howdeshell – 1 kill, 4 aces, 21 digs, 2 assists, 24 serves received; Brailyn Hunter – 3 kills, 1 block, 3 digs, 2 serves received; Audrey Bolinger – 19 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, 9 digs, 3 assists, 2 serves received; Maddy Bailon – 1 ace, 9 digs, 8 serves received; Logyn Honkomp – 5 digs, 5 serves received; Rylee Clevenger – 6 digs, 1 assist, 5 serves received
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