Lady Lancers repeat as NWC champions

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

For the second straight season, the state ranked Lincolnview Lady Lancers are outright Northwest Conference volleyball champions.

No. 9 Lincolnview locked up the 2020 title by rallying for a 26-28, 26-24, 25-21, 25-22 victory over rival Crestview on Thursday.

“I’m proud of these girls,” Lincolnview head coach JaNahn Evans said. “They had a goal in mind at the very beginning and they knew they wanted this title. It’s just great, back-to-back titles and to win it outright, I couldn’t ask for a better way to put the conference season to an end.”

The Lady Lancers won the title, despite being without middle hitter McKayla Blankemeyer and defensive specialist Breck Evans.

The difference was the third set, when the Lady Lancers (18-2, 8-0 NWC) raced out to a 14-4 lead then held off Crestview, who battled back to within three, 24-21. Carsyn Looser had back-to-back kills during the early run and Kendell Bollenbacher and Zadria King each had an ace.

“We needed to do the little things and I think once everybody stepped up and did those things we took control of the game,” Evans explained.

“We talked a lot about consistency and that’s where we need to get better,” Crestview head coach Tammy Gregory said. “We were kind of on a roller coaster and against a good team like Lincolnview you have to spend so much extra energy to come back from that (deficit).”

Lincolnview raced out to an 8-3 lead early in the fourth set, only to see Crestview battle back and eventually tie it 16-16. Four straight kills by Crestview’s Myia Etzler gave the Lady Knights a 20-17 lead, but the Lady Lancers fought back and tied it at 20 on a kill by Kendall Klausing. With the game tied 21-21, Lincolnview scored the final four points, including consecutive kills by Bollenbacher to finish it. Bollenbacher had 16 kills and 21 digs.

“We definitely had experience on our side on how to play under pressure,” Evans said. “We’ve had a tough schedule all season so we’re definitely used to getting backed into a corner. The girls were able compete and stay calm when they needed to.”

“We just have to be confident at the end, especially against an aggressive attack, knowing this is the game we have to get to get to that fifth set,” Gregory said. “Overall I’m pleased with the effort and what we brought today.

The first set featured 12 ties, but the Lady Knights scored the final two points, including Cali Gregory’s kill that gave Crestview the first set. At one point in the second set, the two teams were tied 12-12, but Lincolnview went on a 7-2 run, including a kill and ace by Madison Williams and a kill by Sami Sellers.

Williams finished with 28 digs and 13 kills, Bri Ebel had 43 assists and 17 digs, King had 24 digs and Elaina O’Neill had 18 digs. Klausing chipped with 11 kills.

Laci McCoy led Crestview with 20 kills, while Etzler had 12. Cali Gregory had 38 assists, 10 kills and three aces, and Bailey Gregory had 32 digs. Kali Small and Raegan Hammons had 21 and 15 digs.

No. 5 seed Crestview (14-7, 6-2 NWC) will host Wayne Trace in the Division IV sectional semfinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday. No. 3 seed Lincolnview will host Miller City in the regular season finale on Saturday, then will face Delphos St. John’s in the sectional finals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Fort Recovery High School.