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SOUTHMONT VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL: Wolves too much for Tiger Cubs in sectional semifinals
NEW MARKET – Greencastle was in search of a second-straight sectional title on Saturday after receiving a bye into the IHSAA Volleyball Class 2A Sectional No. 41 Tournament at Southmont, but a repeat title wasn’t in the cards.
The Tiger Cubs took on an athletic Parke Heritage team that defeated South Vermillion in the opening game on Thursday 3-1.
That athleticism by the Wolves was something that the Tiger Cubs just couldn’t keep up with and it resulted in the season coming to an end for Greencastle as Parke Heritage swept the Tiger Cubs 25-17, 25-13, 25-17.
In the opening set, the Tiger Cubs had a 12-10 lead and the match tied at 14-14 before the Wolves caught fire to close out the set one win.
From the start of the second, it was all Wolves who jumped out to 10-3 lead and forced the Tiger Cubs to play from behind.
The resilient Greencastle squad did get the score as close as 12-10, but the rest of the set was controlled by the Wolves.
The third and final set was more of the same slow start. Parke Heritage led 9-2, and Greencastle could never get into a rhythm as the Wolves dictated the match from start to finish.
“When you play these athletic teams with strong service pressure like Parke Heritage, it’s just really hard to sort out,” Tiger Cub coach Denise Meyer said. “Receiving the serve is something that we’ve typically done pretty well this season but a majority of that part of the game is mental.”
“Our hitters tried to find shots the best they could, and we got some here and there. I still couldn’t be prouder of these girls. They came to the gym every single day during fall break, which isn’t an easy thing to ask of a high schooler, and worked their tails off.”
The Tiger Cubs saw their season end with a record of 18-10 while the Wolves advanced to the championship game and picked up their 20th win of the season at 20-7.
Greencastle graduates just a single senior from this successful group. Kaitlin Welker played her final game in a Tiger Cub volleyball uniform.
Meyer took the time to single out her lone senior and gave her the praise that is deserved at the end of a career.
“I simply couldn’t compliment her more,” Meyer said. “She’s such a selfless player and when we were down what we were, she was playing like it was a tie game out there. Everyone leads a little bit differently and Kaitlin will certainly be missed.”
The preparation for the 2025 season starts now for the Tiger Cubs and it’s one that should be another great season. Greencastle will feature seven seniors on next year’s squad that include the likes of Allison Landry, Rhoan Amis, Makenzie Creviston and Meilani York among others.
Meyer also looked ahead toward next season and spoke about how that senior to-be class has some excitement around what could be another great year.
“First and foremost, these girls will be walking away from this season feeling like there was some things out there we fell short in and this sectional championship was certainly one of those things,” Meyer said. “This junior class wants to leave the program on a high note.”
“This season doesn’t get defined by this one loss and that’s what we told them in the locker room. We finished third in the WIC, which is something Greencastle hasn’t done in a very long time.
“Now as we shift into the Monon Athletic Conference we look toward a competitive conference there,” Meyer added. “We had some goals left out there, but we still have a lot to be proud of this season.”