Williamstown celebrates following match point versus Ravenswood during Thursday's home triangular. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WILLIAMSTOWN – It was a Class AA, Region I, showdown here Thursday night of ranked programs as the host Yellowjackets got off to a slow start against Wheeling Central before ending the evening on a high note.

The No. 8 Maroon Knights of first-year head coach Grace White rolled to a 25-9, 25-21 victory before falling to No. 6 Ravenswood in straight sets – 25-20 and 25-21. However, the Red Devils of head coach Chris Michael couldn’t keep it going as the No. 9 ‘Jackets handed them a 25-14, 25-20 setback.

“We just started out way too slow,” admitted WHS boss Rachelle Cole, who got three aces along with a double-double of 20 assists and a dozen digs from Maggie Frye versus RHS. “We were not ready to play and we had a discussion about that after the game. We’re going to be much more intentional from here on out getting ourselves more prepared and we just made way too many mistakes. We missed way too many serves. I’ve said it before. We have three freshmen out there and I mean they do a great job.

“I’m really proud of all three of them (Olivia Buttrey, Siena Strcula, Frye), but we make mistakes. That’s just part of the learning and building process. I think they are coming around and they get better everyday. They are our future so we want them to get experience and you’re just going to have growing pains. We were a man short tonight. Chloe (Mulligan) was sick. Not that Riley (Haines) didn’t step in and do a fantastic job. She did, but it’s a different chemistry so we started off pretty rough. I wish we wouldn’t have, but we did and we’re going to learn from it. We had a great game against a really good Ravenswood team.”

Wheeling Central, which will carry a 14-7 record into next week’s Ohio Valley Athletic Conference match, was led by to victory versus the hosts by Lainey Peters’ two aces and five kills, Chloe Groome’s 11 assists along with libero Liv Stephens’ 11 digs while Helene Crall and Morgan Miehle combined for seven downed spikes.

Williamstown's Grace Boone, who celebrated her 18th birthday during Thursday's home triangular, makes a pass to the front row. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“Last week we had a lot of games. This week we had a lot of games,” admitted coach White, who also got five kills and a quartet of assists from Peters in the setback. “We had senior night on Tuesday so there’s a lot of emotion. Our bodies are tired. We’re beat mentally and physically right now. School is hard.

“Central is a hard school to go academically, not only to be an athlete, and we just need to reset. A loss is a learning moment and that’s all it is. It’s nothing to hang our heads about. Yes we want to go out here and win, but there are more opportunities to learn and get better in a loss than a win.”

The Maroon Knights had the opening set even at 15 versus Ravenswood with the help of three aces from Groome along with an ace apiece by Remy Peters, Miehle and Stephens.

However, the Red Devils took control with setter Annie Starcher at the service line. The senior had two aces in a 9-0 spurt that included kills by Anna Casto and Holli Burrows along with a block from Peyton Mellinger.

Wheeling Central staved off four set points, but it wasn’t enough.

Williamstown's Siena Strcula registers a kill during Thursday's home triangular. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Fill-in libero Montana Slater of Ravenswood had two aces early in set two and it was 9-3 after Casto, who double-doubled with 11 kills and 14 digs, put one to the floor.

Trailing 23-19 after a kill by Remy Peters, the Maroon Knights then got downed spikes from Lainey Peters and Miehle, but couldn’t overcome the early deficit.

“I knew tonight was going to be a tough match because I saw Williamstown early and then saw them a lot later and they are a lot better than they were,” said coach Michael, who got 18 digs from Slater in each match with Casto producing 25 versus the ‘Jackets. “I knew it would be tough and I knew Central would be good. I knew this was going to be a big night and we’re all in the same region. I knew there was a lot to play for in early October and not having our libero (Angelena Fowler) and going through a rotation today before we came up here I was really proud of the kids and their defensive effort.

“I thought our energy level except for the first set against Williamstown was really good. I thought our execution was really good upfront. Casto was really good. Our middles were really good today. The (Makenna) Creel kid did a good job of filling in because that would normally be a different player that had to switch to the back row. I thought overall was really good. After you beat Central you want to win again.”

Ravenswood, now 23-8 with a home match Tuesday versus Roane County, never led in the opening set versus WHS, which jumped ahead 12-4 following kills from Strcula and Buttrey.

Williamstown's Olivia Buttrey tips the ball past Wheeling Central's Teagan Peters during Thursday's home triangular. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Kills by Addi Kerby and Riley Haines along with aces from libero Keatyn Haynes and Frye helped the hosts bolt ahead 20-10. Haines’ ace got it to set point, which Buttrey finished off with a kill.

Maddie Slater’s kill gave RHS an 11-9 edge in set two, but the ‘Jackets went ahead 15-14 via a Frye ace only to see a Casto kill tie it at 15.

A double-block by Reagan Corbett and Haines on Creel and then an ace from Haines tied it at 18. WHS took the lead for good and got some breathing room when the ‘Jackets got three straight kills from Buttrey, Corbett and Strcula.

Williamstown senior Grace Boone, who was celebrating her 18th birthday, earned match point via a Strcula kill.

Coach Cole’s squad heads Saturday to Buffalo’s Invitational with a 12-11-2 mark.

Williamstown libero Keatyn Haynes keeps a ball alive as Yellowjacket head coach Rachelle Cole looks on during Thursday's home triangular. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com