Windsor was the #2 seed, but Sacred Heart had played some of their 8th-esque players up during the regular season, not giving the seeding process a true picture of their capabilities. They showed them on Monday night in the Sacred Heart 7A Regional, handling the Trojans, 25-17, 25-17.

Windsor started out fine, taking the first five points of the match, with Bayleigh Tabor serving up an ace after Sacred Heart missed a shot. Paige Woolard then tipped for a point, followed by a serve that Sacred Heart couldn't handle. Woolard hit an overhead that scored. Windsor finally missed and here came the Shamrocks.

They overheaded a ball for a score, won a long rally involving a battlle at the net, then served up an ace. Megan Nuxoll, the Rocks' net assassin tipped for a point, then swung for a kill, tying the game at 5-5. But, Big Green wasn't done.

Nuxoll tipped for another point and Windsor called time down 7-5.

It didn't help, as S.H. came back on the court and served an ace, then won a tip battle to cap a 9-0 run, 9-5. Back and forth got the score to 11-8, then the Rocks got another kill and a bump to an open court.

Allie Bridges finally got a positive point for Windsor with a kill, but then the Trojans were caught looking at another ball that found open court. Claire Pfeiffer shot an overhead that was just arched enough to clear the front line, but just flat enough to have the same trajectory as a kill shot and it scored, 14-10 Rocks.

But, Windsor could never gain any momentum after the first five points and a Sacred Heart ace at 16-10, brought the second Trojan time-out. Sacred Heart served another ace and had a 19-11 lead when Peiffer dug a ball over that Sacred Heart couldn't handle.

Pfeiffer served a couple of points as Sacred Heart bumped out and another Pfeiffer bump brought a Sacred Heart error cutting the Shamrock lead to 19-14. A missed tip gave the Shamrocks possession, they scored on a free tip and then served an ace, 22-14.

Windsor broke serve, but lost it right back on a net kill by the Rocks. Olivia Hortenstine got the serve for Windsor and made it count, serving an ace, 23-17. But, two Trojans tried to play the same ball and brought game point, 24-17. Windsor's next kill went long and Sacred Heart was halfway to an upset.

Tabor served an ace to open game two, but it was tit for tat until 3-3. Sacred Heart then started to gain the momentum. Windsor had three unforced errors in four points and Sacred Heart led 6-4. A Windsor ball caromed off the rafters for a S.H. point and a Rock bump off the net made it 8-5 and Windsor called time-out.

Tabor broke serve with an overhead to the corner, but Windsor gave it right back, 10-6. Nuxoll then scored three points in a row. She tipped for a point, swung for a kill, then rose for a block, 13-6. Windsor got a sideout, then Katie Cline served an ace and Windsor tried to chip away at the 7-point lead.

Pfeifer overheaded a ball again that was flat and ricocheted off a Shamrock. Nuxoll swung for a kill, Windsor dug it and Woolard's overhead scored.14-10. Woolard then got a free kill, Sacred Heart killed out and Tabor served an ace to come within one point, 14-13, before a service error.

Sacred Heart led 16-14 when Hortenstine hit an overhead to the back line. Woolard served and a bad receive became a bad pass and the game was tied 16-16. Unfortunately, after Windsor went through the effort to tie the game, Sacred Heart responded with a 9-1 run to win the match.

A double hit gave the Rocks the ball and they served a net ace. Sacred Heart's Tori Sims then hit a kill shot off balance on one foot backing up making it 19-16 and bringing the final Windsor time-out. Windsor then killed out and Sims hit another short kill diagonally along the net. Windsor had a bad receive, then Sims hit a kill to the corner, 23-16.

A net call gave the Trojans the ball one more time. But a bad hit gave it back, 24-17. Windsor missed a kill with Sacred Heart ready to rise for the block and the Trojan season was over. They finished with a record of 16-5, undefeated in the NTC regular season.

Sacred Heart 7A Regional

Sacred Heart def. Windsor, 25-17, 25-17

Windsor stats: Bayleigh Tabor 3 aces; Paige Woolard 2 kills; Allie Bridges 1 ace, 1 kill; Taylor Higgins 1 ace, 1 assist; Olivia Hortenstine 1 ace; Katie Cline 1 ace.











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