Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth
SOUTH WEBSTER — Having a height advantage is one thing in volleyball. But it’s entirely different when you use it in the most effective way possible.
That’s been Wheelersburg’s best tangible weapon all season long, alongside a slew of intangibles that have culminated in the Pirates earning a top seed in the Division V district tournament draw.
And if there were any questions left as to why the Pirates are the top dog, then Tuesday provided all of the answers.
Wheelersburg (19-2, 10-0 SOC III) showcased how tournament-ready it is, adding another championship to the trophy case with a resounding straight-set victory over South Webster — 25-19, 25-14 and 25-17 — to win the SOC III outright.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
“Playing them five sets earlier this season, one thing I really learned about us was how in and out of focus we can get and how that affects our execution,” Wheelersburg coach Kelsey Glockner said. “Ever since that game, our mental focus has been a huge point of emphasis in practice alongside the other things we do to improve. They know the players, they know what to do and where to be. It’s just a matter of doing it and we checked every box tonight.”
Throughout the night, Wheelersburg’s Alyssa Mullins, Gracie Perkins and Grace Woodward all came up with key plays at different points to keep the Pirates calm in rough waters.
After taking a 3-2 lead early, the Pirates went on a 5-1 run that was capped by a kill from Mullins to go ahead 8-3. The Jeeps battled back with a 6-1 run behind Makayla Raynard to cut the deficit to 9-8, but couldn’t quite get over the hump.
Midway through the set, with the Pirates ahead 18-16, Mullins went back to the service line and proceeded to lead the charge on a 5-0 run with three aces. That was the momentum needed to close out a first set win.
“When we were going through our trials and errors a while back and figuring out what works best for us, we switched rotations to put Alyssa in as our first server,” Glockner said. “We later switched back, but she’s never lost that confidence and kept that mentality the entire time, even though she’s not in that first server position. Her execution at the line over the last three weeks has been huge for us.”
Early in the second set, it was all about Perkins. Her 6-foot-1 frame was an early tone-setter as she registered two kills and a block to put the Pirates ahead 5-2. That lead later stretched to 14-7 before the Jeeps (19-2, 8-2 SOC III) went on a 5-0 run behind two aces from Addi Claxon and kills from Mia Crum and Kennedy Hamilton, cutting the tally to 14-12.
Mullins then powered a kill to the floor, bring balance back to the Pirates, and set off a huge wave of momentum. The advantage grew to 19-12 and Perkins later finished things off with a block and two more kills to close out a second set win.
“Limiting the things that we knew South Webster wanted to do was key, and we put a lot of that responsibility on the back of Gracie,” Glockner said. “When she’s in the game for her three rotation series, we expect her to work and earn her break. Touches don’t go down as a stat, but the touches she provides for the defense to get into the offense was the best she’s done all year.”
Any 2-0 type of lead is never safe, and the Pirates knew the Jeeps weren’t going down without a fight.
SW battled early and exchanged ties at 6-6, all the way to 12-12.
But Woodward got two of the next three points for the PIrates to put them ahead 15-12, and they never looked back.
Brooklyn Miller and Laynee Walker each logged a kill, Perkins came back into the fold with two kills and a block, and Woodward ended the night with a kill to put the game on ice, sealing a conference championship win.
“It all goes back to having that mental check-in, and one thing I tell them is to put the cap on it,” Glockner said. “I never want to take away from their excited moments and the things they’re working to do, but we can’t live on a highlight reel if we want to accomplish the goals that we have. As long as we have a two-point lead, we feel good about our chances at everything.”
Wheelersburg will conclude its regular season on Thursday at Jackson, while South Webster ends its regular season slate. The Jeeps have earned the top seed in Division VI and will be back in action at 6 p.m., Oct. 22 against West or Waterford.
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