JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
Shelbyville Moulton 8th grade gutted out a comeback win in the Shelbyville 8-3A Regional semifinal against Pana on Tuesday and almost incinerated the gym in the process, 19-25, 25-19, 25-21.
"The match was a classic Pana-Shelby match-up," said Ram coach Brittany Pierce. "It was very intense and hard fought throughout all three games. I was extremely proud of the girls for staying focused, hustling, and controlling our side of the net."
The two teams were evenly matched in a regional that was up for grabs. On top of that, throw out the records (Shelby 15-5, Pana 10-10). It was Shelbyville vs. Pana. Both teams had runs throughout the match and times when they almost lapsed into mediocrity. But after Shelby forced a game 3, someone turned up the heat.
In game 3, like in game two, the team that was behind caught the other team at 16-16. From there, the mercury was rising, putting the structure and the 7 p.m. match between Vandalia and Cumberland in jeopardy.
Shelby hit long and called time. Up 18-16, Pana had a bad set and couldn't get a return. Outside Ram hitter Morgan Voyles had a couple of gutsy plays at the net to keep the point alive, then Pana hit long by maybe an inch, 18-18. Shelby missed a kill and then was in the net, 20-18 Pana. Voyles and Morgan Lawrence had a "Morgan Double" block. The ball came back to Pana's credit, but then Voyles took the free ball and 1-timed it deep in the zone for the score. Voyles then went to the line and served up an ace for the tie, 20-20.
Pana's Gabby Kay tipped to the side of the block near the sideline and no one was there, 21-20 Pana. On the next play, Shelby's Lindsey Eigsti attacked a ball near the net to try and save a free ball from coming back in her face and she and her Panther counterpart were both called in the net. It was a victory for Eigsti by being aggressive, because a sure negative point was played over.
On the next point, setter and outside hitter Kayla Brachbill had arguably her best shot of the season. The ball was set to the outside and Brachbill loaded up. She hit the ball hard with enough arc to get past the front line, but then sizzle cross court deep in the zone past the Pana defense at an angle they didn't have a prayer of digging, 21-21.
The Shelbyville Fire Department almost had to be called out to hose down the building at this point things were so intense.
Serving and defensive specialist Sandra Williams came off the bench to close out the match for the Rams. Her first offering was an ace, bringing the final Pana time-out at 22-21 Rams. After the pause, Ram middle hitter Brandy Smith decided to forego a slam and tipped the ball to the side. All Pana could do was get a hand on it as it ricocheted out of bounds, 23-21.
On the next point, Voyles put the pressure on the Pana defense by hitting a ball deep. It was dug, but up to the rafters on the Pana side and then straight down to the floor, bringing match point, 24-21. Williams focused at the line and delivered the game-winning ace, 25-21.
Shelby had lost game 1 and was down 6-1 in game 2, when serving specialist Julia Bolinger came in and got them back in the game with a 4-point run. Pana held that 4-point cushion until 15-11, before Shelby went on a 14-4 run to pull their bacon out of the fire and force a game 3.
Shelby, after letting game 1 slip away, caught Pana at 16-16 in game 2 and from there they began to believe again.
Bolinger got Shelby to 18-16 serving two aces and bringing a Pana time-out. The officials had to confer on the next point and eventually decided a Pana player made an illegal play at the net, point Shelby. At 19-17, Morgan Voyles ended a rally with a deep kill shot.
Amanda Sprague, also a serving and defensive sub, came in and served an ace, precipitating another Pana time-out. Pana got two points back, but a Ram dig fell in to get the ball back, 22-19 Rams. Voyles went to the line and staked her claim. The first serve was deep, but in, and it borught a bad Pana pass, point Rams. She did it again as Pana had a tough receive and a tough save attempt, but the ball never cleared the net, 24-19.
Voyles lock and loaded and served a ball that ricocheted off the Pana receiver for an ace on game 2 game point.
Shelby started the match with an emphatic kill by Brandy Smith in game 1. The Rams hadn't played in awhile and they looked like the rest and the preparation made them ready to roll. Smith had two more kills to lead 3-2. Bolinger came in to serve and pushed them out to a 6-3 lead after Voyles killed to the corner.
Gabby Kay got Pana a tip to the hole, then Voyles answered with another kill. But, two Ram misses knotted the score. Another miss and an ace by Lauren Rochkes put Pana up 9-7. A side-out gave Voyles the ball at the line and she served an ace for the tie and then took the lead on a Pana miscommunication.
Tit for tat went on for a few points, then Smith killed a free ball. Pana overheaded the ball out and the Rams were on the verge of a run, 14-11. Pana coach Maleah Brinkoetter called time-out before things got away from her and it proved wise.
After two quick Eigsti aces, 16-11, Pana went on a 14-3 run, like a slingshot past the Rams, who lapsed into mediocrity. Rochkes got the serve for Pana at 22-19 and served out the game with three straight aces.
Six of the Rams emerged from the flames with double-digit performances and one recorded an impressive double-double. Lindsey Eigsti served 11 points and dished out all 20 Ram assists. Julia Bolinger served an impressive 19 points, Morgan Voyles served 12 points and Sandra Williams served up 10 points.
"Julia Bolinger, Lindsey Eigsti, Morgan Voyles and Sandra Williams all had excellent nights at the service line and helped us keep the momentum," Coach Pierce said. "Brandy Smith took some awesome swings, which definitely kept the girls excited. All of the girls truly brought something positive to the floor and I am very proud of them."
Brandy Smith led the Rams at the net with 10 kills and the only official block and Kayla Brachbill led the mid-court defense with 10 points.
As a team, the Rams served 12 aces, had 20 assists towards the 24 team kills and 29 digs.
Morgan Franklin led the balanced overall Pana attack. She led at the line with 12 points and was one dig short (9) of a double-double. Kylee Buerk was also a double-digit performer dishing out 10 assists, also coming just shy of a double-double with eight service points. Morgan Schoonover and Lauren Rochkes were also on the threshold of double figures. Rochkes had nine points and Schoonover joined Franklin with a team-high nine digs.
As a team, Pana had 14 assists leading to the 19 team kills, served up 11 aces and dug the ball a 41 times as they covered the floor against the Shelby attack. They finished the season as a dangerous 10-11 team.
Shebyville (15-10) advanced to the Shelbyville 8-3A Regional final on Thursday against #4-seed Toledo Cumberland, which dominated #5-seed Teutopolis in the first round, then upset #1-seed Vandalia in the semifinal, 25-22, 25-18.
Cumberland 7th grade (#3-seed) upset Shelbyville (#2-seed) in the Shelby 7-3 regional semi last week, 25-19, 25-20, then lost in the final to Vandalia in a gutsy last hurrah, 23-25, 25-21, 17-25.
Moulton 8-3A Regional Semi
Moulton def. Pana, 19-25, 25-19, 25-21
Rams stats: Julia Bolinger 19 points, 3 aces; Lindsey Eigsti 11 points, 3 aces, 20 assists, 5 digs; Morgan Voyles 12 points, 2 aces, 5 kills, 7 digs; Sandra Williams 10 points, 3 aces; Brandy Smith 10 kills, 1 block, 3 digs; Kayla Brachbill 7 points, 1 kill, 10 digs; Morgan Lawrence 1 point, 7 kills; Amanda Sprague 6 points, 1 ace, 3 digs; Briana Ruff 2 points, 1 kill,1 dig; Alexis Halbrook 1 point.
Pana stats: Morgan Franklin 12 points, 3 aces, 2 kills, 2 assists, 9 digs; Kylee Buerk 8 points, 2 aces, 4 kills, 10 assists, 4 digs; Morgan Schoonover 4 poits, 4 kills, 1 block, 9 digs; Lauren Rochkes 9 points, 4 aces, 5 digs; Hannah Baker 3 points, 2 aces, 3 kills, 1 assist, 5 digs; Gabby Kay 5 kills, 1 assists, 1 block, 4 digs; Hannah Michael 1 point, 4 digs; Breanna Schoonover 1 kill, 1 dig.
