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Frontier volleyball falls to Shadyside in sectional

SHADYSIDE — Veteran savvy outdueled youthful exuberance in the first and third sets Wednesday night allowing Shadyside to punch its ticket for the sectional final.

Smarting from a defeat in the OVAC championship match last weekend, the LTs finished strong in the first and third sets and withstood a solid challenge from Frontier — 25-23, 25-15, 25-21 — in an Ohio Division IV sectional volleyball semifinal inside the Tiger Den.

Shadyside will now play host to Steubenville Catholic at 1 Saturday afternoon in a rematch of last week’s OVAC Class 2A final, won by the LTs in three sets, for the sectional crown.

“That’s going to be a tough assignment,” Shadyside head coach Cindy Archer said of the Crusaders, who topped River in Wednesday’s first semifinal in five sets. “We had to work really hard for the win the first time we played and I think Saturday’s match will be just as difficult.”

The Cougars (10-10) proved to be a worthy opponent. Despite playing numerous freshmen, Frontier gave Shadyside (21-2) everything it could handle.

“We were ready, though,” Archer said of her squad. “We hadn’t played them before so it was a challenge for us. The girls came out and played well.”

Shadyside maintained a small lead throughout the early portion of the first set, only to watch the Cougars claw back and tie the set at 10-10. From there, it was back-and-fourth until the LTs snapped a 16-16 deadlock with a 3-0 run that included a point by Macy Coffland.

Frontier rallied again — this time tying things at 23-23 — before Shadyside prevailed.

The Cougars grabbed momentum early in the second set, surging to a 5-1 advantage thanks, in part, to a hard shot by Logan Haught. Shadyside rallied to tie the set at 6-6, and once that happened it was all LTs.

Shadyside produced a 9-2 run capped by an ace by Baylee Wach. Frontier head coach Donna Murphy tried to stop the bleeding with a time out, but Shadyside kept pouring it on, cruising to a 10-point victory.

In the third, the teams were tied at 15-15 when Shadyside seized momentum with a 5-1 run spurred by a point from Sarah Teasdale. The Cougars had no answer and the LTs secured the victory.

“We missed a few serves at key spots and that stopped any momentum we had,” Murphy said. “We did well. I’m proud of my girls.”

Haleigh Osman had 19 digs and six points for Shadyside, while Madison Davis was recited with 28 assists and five points. Haley Esposito had 12 digs, Teasdale finished with 10 kills and six digs, Jillian Joseph had 12 digs and six kills, Riley Brown had six kills and six digs, and Coffland had six kills.

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