CHILLICOTHE - The Marietta High volleyball team's 2012 campaign came to a heartbreaking end Wednesday as the Lady Tigers were defeated in four sets by the Westfall Mustangs at Southeastern High School.
In the district semifinal match, Marietta went down two sets to none, but clawed back by winning the third set. The comeback bid came to a halt when Westfall took the final set 25-21.
After the match ended, Tiger head coach Ron Kidder said "We just came out flat. You can't do that in the tournament. You get one chance and you either win or go home. We came out flat and we just couldn't get it turned around. It was a great season. We just started off flat and they maintained the momentum."
Article Photos
JORDAN HOLLAND The Marietta Times
Marietta’s Kristen Hill (24) tries to hit the ball over Westfall’s blockers, right, in district semifinal volleyball action at Southeastern Wednesday night.
Down two sets to none, Marietta had some work to do. In the third set, kills by Kristen Hill and Holly Hutchinson put the Tigers up 3-2. With the set tied at 4-4, Abby Harrison connected on two service points to make it 6-4 Marietta. After Westfall made it 8-7, Lain Weppler and Hill each notched a kill to make it 10-7. Two plays later, Hill got another kill followed by a Haley Bonar kill to make it 12-9. Marietta then surged for seven straight points led by two kills from Bonar, one from Hill and a Lexi Walsh ace. After Westfall got a point to make it 19-10, Hill brought it back to a 10-point Tiger lead with a kill.
The teams traded points to make it 21-11 before Mattie Miller got a service point to make it 22-11, Marietta's largest lead of the match. From there, Westfall would get as close as 23-15 before Marietta scored two straight points, capped by a service point from Kourtney Crum, to claim the set.
The fourth set saw Westfall jump out to an 8-2 advantage. Later, Gracie Haas brought it to 10-5 with a kill and an ace. Westfall made it 13-7 before Kaitlyn Cozzens recorded a service point to bring it to 13-8. Bonar then recorded a block to make it 13-9.
The teams traded points followed by a Bonar kill and then a block which made it 15-12. Later, kills by Lain Weppler and Cozzens made it 18-15.
With Westfall up 20-17, two kills by Bonar made it 20-19. Westfall then nailed down three straight points before a kill by Hill to make it 23-20. Westfall then scored two of the final three points to take the set and the match.
It was the last high school match for seniors Hill, Cozzens, Walsh, Bonar and Crum.
"Five great seniors," Kidder said. "They played their hearts out all season."
Marietta ended the season with an overall record of 19-5. Westfall advances to the district final which will be played against Washington Court House.
Division II District Semifinal
At Southeastern High School
Westfall d. Marietta 25-20, 25-17, 15-25, 25-21
Marietta (19-5) stats: Cozzens 3kills, 32asst, 16digs; Walsh 19digs, 1ace Hill 13kills, 14digs; Hutchinson 4kills, 6digs; Bonar 9kills, 3blocks; Crum 16digs; Miller 9digs; Harrison 3aces, 1dig; Haas 4kills, 2digs; Weppler 2kills, 6digs
