By RYAN WALKER
MONROE — Bluffton tried to play spoiler against the No.9 ranked team and unbeaten ACAC rival Adams Central, but fell short.
Despite their now 5-12 record, the Tigers (1-4 ACAC) managed to hang on in the match that ended up 3-1. They were ahead in the first set and stole away the third set to keep the game alive, all while making some comebacks.
“We walked in thinking that we could take them,” Bluffton head coach Caylee Pyle said.
Bluffton leaped out to an early lead and quieted a rowdy Jets’ crowd. At the highest point, the Tigers led 15-11. But a Jets (14-5, 4-0 ACAC)’ timeout turned the plane around for a 9-3 run and capped off the first set with a 25-21 victory.
In the second, Adams Central carried that momentum and blasted the Tigers 9-1. But just when you thought the game was in hand, the Tigers maneuvered their way back into contention.
They may not have gotten within a close enough margin to have a real threat to win the set but fell to a more manageable 25-17.
In the third, and potentially final set, the Jets held a 14-8 lead when Pyle rallied the troops for one last effort to salvage the game.
Again, just when the game was about to be put away, the Tigers swung back — and finished the job.
An unthinkable comeback pursued, and Bluffton eventually tied the game at 23 each before heading into an overtime set at 24. The Tigers mashed the final two points and had life.
“Immensely,” Pyle said when asked how proud she was of her team’s rallying effort. “It showed perseverance and grit and the want. It’s something we’ve been working on a lot in practice. I put them down 10 and I make them earn every single point. You don’t get a point for the other team’s mistakes from that drill. I think that came out and showed ‘Hey this is why we do that,’ so that mattered. For them to not give up was a bright spot to me.”
A tight, but favorable Adams Central’ fourth set finished the game with no harm to the perfect record in the conference.
For the Tigers, it’s perhaps a glimpse into what’s to come.
In the last four games coming into the Jets’ game, Bluffton was 4-0 and won the Canterbury Invitational. Putting together a solid effort against a ranked opponent in 2A was encouraging.
Pyle would still like to see more from her team by the end of the season but is trending in the right direction.
“Our skills have increased, but our mentality is still waving. I think we are where we can be, but we’re hitting that plataeu and I think we can go further before the season’s over.”
Bluffton will be at Eastbrook at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26.
Stat leaders: Maryn Schreiber 18 kills, Isla Gibson 20 assists, Marly Drayer 17 digs and Sophie Eisenhut two blocks.
Bluffton lost the junior varsity match 2-1 (27-29, 25-13, 18-16). Stat leaders were Bridget Steffen with 10 kills, Kamryn Ault 17 assists and four aces, Jaida Mills 12 digs and Steffen with four blocks.
ryan@news-banner.com
