By RYAN WALKER
WOODBURN — They may have lost, but the Bluffton Tigers gave all they had.
The Tigers (9-17) fell short in a five-set defeat to Whitko (13-16) in the opening round of the volleyball sectional at Woodlan.
The Wildcats swiped the third set 26-24 to take a 2-1 lead overall. After falling behind for the majority of the fourth set, the Tigers stormed back and made it a match. The result was another two-point game, this time in favor of Bluffton.
“It’s something we’ve worked on this entire season is mentality — knowing how to be mentally tough,” Bluffton head coach Caylee Pyle said after the match. “Maybe this isn’t the result that we wanted, but these girls should be so proud of how far they’ve come and how much they have grown.”
The late-game magic would be cut off in the fifth set, as Whitko set the tone early by growing its lead to 7-3 and never let up. Eventually, the set went final at 15-8.
The match was an all-out team effort, no matter what grade any of the Tigers were.
The normal rotation went through its playing time, but freshmen Kamryn Ault and Breeanna Schmidt played a more significant role than in prior matches.
It paid off in the first set like it had worked for years, winning 28-18. But the Tigers have battled with consistency all season, and dropped the second set unceremoniously 25-12.
But over those next two sets, it was the Tigers’ team that Pyle has wanted. One that played consistently on all fronts to the best of their ability. It showed with a heavy new set of players in an effort to put it all together at the right time.
“We had people step up in positions that they needed to step up in,” Pyle said.
Was there anyone in particular Pyle wanted to shout out?
“No, because they all played an interval role,” she said.
The freshman along with leaps from sophomores Isla Gibson, Alex Koby, Sophie Eisenhut and Rori Drayer will command a strong returning cast. Not to mention, the lone junior on the team, Konley Ault, who will be the leader of the squad.
But the senior class of Marly Drayer, Maryn Schreiber and Lexi Grady will leave behind a standard of hard work and ever quitting for the rest of their teammates.
“This group of seniors was phenomenal to coach and to be a part of … They left a legacy of how to be mentally tough and face adversity and trying to do their best,” Pyle said.
Schreiber finished her season third in the ACAC with 268 kills, totaling 780 in her career. Drayer was a 1,000-dig player last season and finished her career with 1,433. Grady was a role player that kept the glue together for the team, and Pyle appreciated that.
“Lexi’s my Lexi,” Pyle said. “She beep-bops everywhere and she loves the game. She does whatever I ask of her.”
Stat leaders: Schreiber 12 kills (Konley Ault 11), Gibson 20 assists, Rori Drayer three aces and Schreiber and Eisenhut two blocks.
ryan@news-banner.com
