P-W Powers Past K’Zoo Christian To Win First D3 Title
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It’s been a long time coming for Pewamo-Westphalia. Despite a number of worthy teams, it had been since 1994 that the Pirates had played for a volleyball state title. On Saturday, P-W wasn’t about to let that opportunity slip away.…
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Continue ReadingIt’s been a long time coming for Pewamo-Westphalia.
Despite a number of worthy teams, it had been since 1994 that the Pirates had played for a volleyball state title.
On Saturday, P-W wasn’t about to let that opportunity slip away.
After taking the first two sets against Kalamazoo Christian in the Division 3 final, the Pirates dropped the third, but quickly regrouped to finish the Comets in four, 25-17, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17 for the program’s first title.
“The girls regrouped and overcame. They didn’t let the moment get to big for them and won the school’s first state championship,” P-W coach Jon Thelen said. “I am really proud of this group. We really battled all season. It really started last year and I had the feeling going throughout the summer of what we were going to be able to do this year. I knew we were going to be pretty good, but how good was just proven today against a very good team.”
It was the size of the Pirates that continued to give problems for their opponent.
The front line of Dani Pohl, Saige Martin Saige Martin 6'0" | MB Pewamo Westphalia | 2024 State MI , Taylor Smith Taylor Smith 6'1" | S Pewamo Westphalia | 2024 State MI and Sierra Schneider gave the Comets headaches. P-W would hit .266 as a team in the win while collecting eight blocks.
“(P-W) runs a really fast offense. Their setter has great hands. She’s really hard to read, which makes it difficult for our block to be able to get to,” Kalamazoo Christian coach Carlie Southland said. “Without the block, their hitters hit hard, so it’s really hard to get a good pass up without a block.”
After a somewhat one-sided first set, Kalamazoo Christian made P-W earn the second. The Comets would be within one on four different occasions over the final run of points, but couldn’t quite tie things up.
In the third, the Comets got an early 7-3 lead and didn’t let the Pirates recover for most of the set. P-W would take a 20-18 lead, but Kalamazoo Christian persevered, scoring seven of the final 10 points.
The fourth was similar to the first, as P-W gradually created a sizable lead of 18-11 and the Comets weren’t able to string together a large enough rally to get back into it.
Pewamo-Westphalia Standouts
Junior S Taylor Smith Taylor Smith 6'1" | S Pewamo Westphalia | 2024 State MI : 36 assists, 7 kills (.462), 11 digs, 2 aces
Junior MH Saige Martin Saige Martin 6'0" | MB Pewamo Westphalia | 2024 State MI : 13 kills (.360), 12 digs
Senior OH Dani Pohl: 10 kills, 15 digs, 7 assists
Senior RS Chloe Hengesbach: 8 kills
Senior OH Hailey McRae: 8 kills (.316)
Junior L Carolina Hengesbach: 9 digs, 3 aces
Senior MH Sierra Schneider: 6 kills, 3 blocks
Kalamazoo Christian Standouts
Junior OH Holland DeVries Holland DeVries 5'10" | OH Kalamazoo Christian | 2024 State MI : 17 kills, 16 digs
Senior MH Marisa Fetterley: 11 kills, 3 blocks
Junior S Lola Stecker: 38 assists
Junior L Jovie Cochran: 18 digs