Hornets Go Down Fighting In Regional Final

JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor

Sacred Heart Sham-rocked the #2 seed on Tuesday, 25-17, 25-17, and had looked to do the same to Cowden-Herrick in the Sacred Heart 1A Regional title bout on Friday. Not so fast. Cowden-Herrick took Sacred Heart into OT in game one, before losing, 27-25, then played up hill in game two, making it a 3-point game, 16-13, before the Shamrocks went on a final run to claim the title.

Cowden-Herrick 7th volleyball came in to the Sacred Heart 7-1A Regional as the #1 seed, but that didn't take into account that #3 seed Sacred Heart had their best players back from playing with their 8th grade during the regular season. In spite of that, the Hornets went down fighting and came within an eye lash of taking the Shamrocks to three games.

"The girls started off strong and then went downhill," said Hornet coach Angela Jefferies. "They have had a wonderful season and started to fall apart after they got behind. Missed serves and lack of communication made for self-destruction. Sacred Heart played well and they were able to play in a consistent manner."

Cowden-Herrick went out to a 6-0 lead at the start of game one. Ariel Heiserman opened the match with a Hornet ace. The Shamrocks missed a kill and Heiserman served another ace, then a ball that brought a 2-hand lift on the receive.

She served a ricochet ace, that caromed into the crowd. Lorton then tipped the ball past Noxoll and another Rock couldn’t play it, tipping it out. It was 6-0 Hornets, bringing a Sacred Heart time-out.

The time-out broke the serve, but then Lorton killed a ball into Nuxoll’s block attempt and scored, 7-1. A service error gave Sacred Heart and Megan Nuxoll the ball and a chance to get on a roll.

The Shamrocks had their own 5-0 run to pull within one and it was game on. Katie Tegeler killed down the line for a point and, despite a Wehrle dig, the Rocks scored again. Nuxoll served an ace to make it a 1-point game, 7-6.

Dakota Fouts came up with a free ball tip and got C-H the ball. On tip kill by diminutive setter Ariel Heiserman C-H had a modest lead, 11-7.

But, Sacred Heart had another run and tied the game, all on C-H miscues , 11-11. The Hornets answered by getting another modest lead. Sacred Heart missed two swings and Fouts served up an ace, 14-11.

After C-H not talking and watching a ball hit the floor, Ashley Davis came back with a deep kill, 15-12. Lorton swung for a kill off a Nuxoll block attempt to give Davis the serve. The receive attempt went ino the net, 18-14.

Muxoll then got her licks in. She sizzled a cross-court kill and then got the serve. A C-H lift was followed by a Nuxoll ace. The Hornets had a couple great saves on the next point, but the Rocks got a tip that glanced off a Hornet fist save attempt, giving Sacred Heart the lead, 19-18.

Down 20-18, the Hornets did not fold. They called a time-out and dug deeper. They stayed within three points and, after Tegeler ace, they got the serve at 23-21. Fouts served a net ace and Sacred Heart had to call time-out, 23-22 Rocks.

C-H was down, 24-23, then got the ball on a service error on game point. Jensyn Morrison served and the Shamrocks hit the receve off the rafters and to the floor, 25-24 Hornets. A service error knotted the game at 25-25 and Sacred Heart got the next two points.

On game point, there was a long rally that would not die. Finally, a quick tip attempt by a shorter Hornet went right in the wheel house of a Nuxoll slam. Even then Jensyn Morrison dug the ball in the back row and it came with in just a few inches of clearing the net...game to Sacred Heart, 27-25.

Even after letting game one slip away, the Hornets, on the ropes, didn't quit. Sacred Heart took a 3-0 lead in game two, including a Nuxoll kill and a Nuxoll block. But, Cowden-Herrick had a short run and took a 4-3 lead. Heiserman served another ace and Nuxoll missed a kill.

Sacred Heart tied it and went on their own run to claim a 7-4 lead. Tegeler killed, C-H missed a receive and had a bad pass. Nuxoll had a good swing, Chloe Meek dug it and Lorton over-headed the ball for a score. Ashley Davis served an ace, then a net ace and tied the game, 7-7.

Then the Shamrocks started to get some separation. Nuxoll got a free tip, then went to the line. She started with an ace. At 11-7, Cowden-Herrick called time-out. They fell behind 16-9. then found a rhythm and climbed back into contention.

The Hornets got the ball on a net call. Jensyn Morrison swung for a kill and Heiserman tipped for a point. Davis then bumped for a score and Heiserman quick tipped a ball on an angle, just over the net and it hit the floor.

The Rocks had to call time-out, up just 16-13, and were successful at breaking the serve. From there, they broke open the 3-point game with an 8-1 run to close out the match and win the regional championship, 25-14.

It started with a Nuxoll save, then Rachel Weis hit a kill. Jenna Workman served an ace and the Hornets had a bad pass. Down 20-13, C-H called time. But, the Rocks were smelling blood. Nuxoll swung for the kill, then Workman served a short ace, 22-13.

Nuxoll swung for another kill, but the Hornets handled it. A follow-up, cross-court bump found the floor, 23-13. Nuxoll missed a tip and Morrison served. Lorton had a good swing that carried just three inches past the end line, bringing match point. Nuxoll buried the final kill to secure the Shamrocks regional title.

Once again, Ariel Heiserman was the service ace for the Hornets. She seved a team-high eight points and four aces. Once again, Haven Lorton led the hornets at the net, swinging for four kills. Hannah Wehrle dished out a team-high six assists.

Cowden-Herrick 7th (17-4, 9-1 NTC) and 8th were to play a make-up NTC match on Friday 4:15 p.m.

Sacred Heart 1A Regional Final

Sacred Heart def. Cowden-Herrick, 27-25, 25-14

C-H stats: Ariel Heiserman 8 points, 4 aces, 2 assists, 1 kill, 5 digs; Dakota Fouts 7 points, 1 ace, 1 kill, 2 digs; Hannah Wehrle 6 assists, 7 digs; Haven Lorton 1 point, 4 kills, 3 digs; Ashley Davis 3 points, 2 aces, 2 kills; Jensyn Morrison 1 point, 1 ace, 2 kills, 2 digs; Alicia Adams 1 assist

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