Volleyball: Woodland tops Marquette Academy in 3 sets to capture Tri-County regular season title

OTTAWA — With the Tri-County Conference regular-season volleyball championship on the line, both Woodland and Marquette Academy left everything on the floor Thursday night.

In the end, the visiting Warriors wrapped up their first league title since 2012 with a thrilling 25-16, 23-25, 26-24 victory over the Crusaders in front of an enthusiastic and raucous crowd at Bader Gymnasium.

[ Photos: Woodland vs Marquette volleyball ]

Woodland (21-8, 8-1) has now won six straight matches, while Marquette (24-6, 7-2) had its six-match winning streak snapped.

We didn’t play our best at the conference tournament, so tonight I feel was kind of a second chance for us to show what we can do and how we can play.”

—  Shae Simons, Woodland senior setter

“This is just phenomenal,” Woodland coach Michelle Pitte said as she watched her players exchange hugs after the match. “I’ve coached these girls since they were in seventh grade, and they’ve worked their butts off, so to see them reach a goal they set for themselves this season is so gratifying. We also say play one point at a time, and tonight we did that, and the results followed.

“I’m so proud of this team and tonight was truly a team effort. They just do not give up no matter the situation they are in.”

The visitors broke up a back-and-forth opening set by scoring 10 of the final 12 points, with freshman Grace Longmire recording three kills and a block, and junior Malayna Pitte added three kills in the burst.

“As a setter you know who is off, who is on, and who you’re going to when you really need a side out or a point,” said Woodland senior Shae Simons, who passed off for 27 assists. “Tonight made it extra tough because I felt like every one of our hitters really stepped up. I couldn’t be prouder of how everyone played.

“We didn’t play our best at the conference tournament, so tonight I feel was kind of a second chance for us to show what we can do and how we can play.”

Marquette fell behind 6-0 to start the second set, but bounced back to eventually even things up late, then used kills from Anna Hjerpe and Makayla Backos to send the match to a third and deciding set.

“This was the craziest, loudest, most intense match I’ve ever played in and it’s not even close,” Malayna Pitte said. “Our bench, our fans, everyone was really into it and that was a huge help for us. I thought we did a great job of not ever getting too high or too low. I mean everyone here knew what was at stake, so I think keeping a level mindset was a huge key for us, especially after Marquette won the second set.”

The Crusaders led 4-0 to start the rubber set, but Woodland quickly tied things up. From there, the squads were tied on 14 different occasions, including at 24-all, but consecutive kills by Longmire gave her team the victory and title.

Longmire and Pitte each had nine kills to lead Woodland, with Ella Derossett adding six. Simons had 15 service points, including three aces and libero Kaiden Connor had 26 digs.

The hosts were paced by six kills each from Maera Jimenez and Hjerpe, with Lilly Craig adding three. Mary Lechtenberg posted four blocks, with Jimenez and Craig with two each.

“It was a great match and I thought both teams played extremely well, but I’m also disappointed because of some of the calls and non-calls that happened,” Marquette coach Mindy McConnaughhay said. “A couple of those calls came late in the third set which was very tough to see.

“I’m proud of the way my girls regrouped after dropping the first set and then getting behind 6-0 in the second. I have no qualms about how we played or how hard we played. They didn’t everything they could to win this match tonight.”