OMAHA – Papillion-LaVista South proved Tuesday night that it was no fluke the Titans won the Bellevue Invitational last weekend, while in the same match Omaha Marian’s Brittany Witt proved she may be the best libero in state history.
Top-ranked Papillion-LaVista South, 7-0, overcame an early deficit to take a 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22 win over Omaha Marian a little more than 72 hours after defeating the Crusaders 2-1 in the Bellevue West Invite championship.
Meanwhile, it was a historic night as well, as Marian senior Creighton recruit Brittany Witt broke the state’s all-time career dig record during the match. Witt came into the match 19 shy of the record and she had 37 on the night, giving her 1,959 for her career. The old record was 1,941 by 2010 Marian graduate Julianne Mandolfo.
Early on in the match, it looked like Marian might be able to celebrate both Witt’s record and a win. The #2 Crusaders, 4-3, used an 11-3 run midway through the first set to turn a 12-11 deficit into a 22-15 lead. After a couple errors ended the Marian run, a block by the Crusaders’ Kate Ruffalo put Marian up 23-17.
Papillion-LaVista South, however, scored five straight on the strength of two Raegan LeGrand kills and a solo block to get within 23-22. A Ruffalo kill got Marian to set point, but another LeGrand kill and a Crusader hitting error tied it at 24-24. A Titan service error got Marian another set point and sophomore Lily Heim put the set away 26-24 with an ace serve.
An 11-3 run by Papillion-LaVista South early in the second set allowed the Titans to comfortably even the match at 1-1 with a 25-20 win. The third set was tight throughout as a Sophia Terwilleger kill for Marian helped the Crusaders to pull within 22-20 late. LeGrand, again, had huge kills late in the set, scoring the Titans’ final three points in a 25-21 third-set win.
The fourth set – much like the entire match – was tight all the way, and when Marian’s Elise Duryea got a kill, the Crusaders pulled within 21-20. LeGrand then answered with a tip kill and freshman Sidney Pecha got a kill of her own to put the Titans up 23-20. Hannah Mueller answered for Marian with a kill, but a hitting error by the Crusaders put Papillion-LaVista South up 24-21.
Marian fought off the first match point thanks to a kill by Duryea, but Peyton Schendt put down the match-winner on the next exchange to give the Titans the victory.
Schendt, a 6-foot sophomore, hit .552 on the night and finished with 17 kills, which tied LeGrand for team-high. Sydney Morehouse finished with six kills, five of which came in the fourth set. She also had 3 ½ blocks. Taylor Crandall had 47 assists.
For Marian, Augustana recruit Terwilleger had a double-double with 20 kills and 20 digs while South Dakota recruit Elizabeth Loschen had 10 kills. Maren McGuire also had a double-double with 26 assists and 16 digs for the Crusaders.
Papillion-LaVista South is now off until next Tuesday when it plays at Millard West. Omaha Marian travels to Bellevue West on Thursday of this week for a double triangular in which it will take on both Lincoln Southeast and Lincoln Southwest.
After having played each other twice in three days, Papillion-LaVista South and Omaha Marian could next meet on the weekend of Sept. 18 & 19 at the Lincoln Public Schools Volleyball Classic.
Papillion-LaVista South def. Omaha Marian 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22
Papillion-LaVista South (7-0) Ranked #1 in Class A
Sidney Pecha – 2 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 0 digs, 0 assists.
Raegan LeGrand – 17 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, 25 digs, 1 assist.
Peyton Schendt – 17 kills, 1 ace, 0 blocks, 5 digs, 0 assists.
Michaela McClellen – 0 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 19 digs, 0 assists.
Cassidy Renander – 1 kill, 0 aces, 1 ½ blocks, 0 digs, 0 assists.
Taliyah Flores – 5 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 27 digs, 0 assists.
Taylor Crandall – 0 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 17 digs, 47 assists.
Leah Palenski – 0 killls, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 6 digs, 0 assists.
Sydney Morehouse – 6 kills, 0 aces, 3 ½ blocks, 0 digs, 0 assists.
Team Totals – 48 kills, 3 aces, 6 blocks, 99 digs, 48 assists.
Omaha Marian (4-3) Ranked #2 in Class A
Andie Hanus – 1 kill, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 14 digs, 0 assists.
Emily Bressman – 3 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 1 dig, 0 assists.
Mary Katherine Wolfe – 6 kills, 0 aces, 1 block, 1 dig, 0 assists.
Elizabeth Loschen – 10 kills, 0 aces, 1 block, 7 digs, 0 assists.
Elise Duryea – 7 kills, 0 aces, 2 blocks, 5 digs, 0 assists.
Sarah Wing – 1 kill, 0 aces, 1 block, 0 digs, 0 assists.
Brittany Witt – 0 kills, 1 ace, 0 blocks, 37 digs, 6 assists.
Maren McGuire – 2 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 16 digs, 26 assists.
Kate Ruffalo – 2 kills, 0 aces, 3 blocks, 1 dig, 0 assists.
Sophia Terwilleger – 20 kills, 1 ace, 1 block, 20 digs, 0 assists.
Lily Heim – 0 kills, 1 ace, 0 blocks, 14 digs, 23 assists.
Hannah Mueller – 6 kills, 0 aces, 0 blocks, 3 digs, 0 assists.
Team Totals – 58 kills, 3 aces, 9 blocks, 119 digs, 55 assists.
