#14 SHS AT #3 CARTERET
Summit took the win in the first round of states taking down Carteret in a bracket busting upset. SHS out-scored Carteret 53-27 and took the match by scores of 25-18, 25-20, 25-22. Despite an overwhelming lead on offensive output of 36 kills to 19 kills for the match, it was Summit's 34 errors that kept Carteret in the match throughout, This was never more evident that in the 2nd set where Summit earned 18 points to Carteret's 7 but despite the overwhelming offensive advantage, the score showed a mere 5 point gap.
The 3rd set saw a much more spirited and desperate Carteret side which lost the kill battle by only 4 (13k-9k) in the set but the Hilltoppers were just too much for the #3 seed with a 6-3 advantage combined in serving aces and blocks which led to an overall scoring advantage of 19-12 for the Top in the set.
The Lady Hilltoppers passed at an outstanding 2.09 rating with Maren leading the way with a 2.08 rating from players with over 7 reception attempts. Summit also won nearly 60% of all its service points led by the career best performance of Lynn who served at a 2.63 rating with a 23/24 count and 6 aces (ace % of 25%)
MATCH LEADERS
ACES: Lynn 6
SERVE RATING (4=ace, 0=err) : Lynn 2.63
RECEIVE PERFECT PASS (3): Mackenna 9
PERFECT PASS %: Rylen 66.7%
RECEIVE RATING (3=perfect, 0=gave up ace): Maren 2.08
KILLS: Mackenna 12
HIT EFF. (k-e/total att) : Molly .364
KILL %: Molly 45.5%
DIGS: Maren and Mac 8
BLOCKS: Molly 2
ASSISTS: Nadia 34
BEST POINT SCORERS: Mac 16, Claire 8, Molly 7
BEST NET POINT SCORERS (0 or higher w/at least 5 earned pts.): Molly and Claire 5, Lynn 4
#14 SHS at #11 BELLEVILLE
The Hilltoppers came into the QF match full of confidence but it was evident early that the Buccaneers had no intentions to go quietly from this match. The Hilltoppers were still very effective at times on offense, so much so that the team out-killed Belleville 26-20 for the match. Summit also served at nearly 91% for the match but Belleville was better at nearly 95%, a near perfect performance. While SHS managed only 3 aces for the match, Belleville dominated that stat with 13 and out passed the Top by a 2.15 to 1.70 margin. In essence, Belleville out-passed and out-served the Hilltoppers which was enough to overcome Summit's offensive advantage especially when taken in the context that Bellevile had a +9 Kill to Error ratio while the Hilltoppers were only +1.
Summit's best opportunity to change the narrative of the match came in the first set despite a 1.30 passing rate which was a direct reflection of the 7 aces Belleville notched in the set. Summit had the score tied at 7 and forced Belleville into freeball or easy dig and transition opportunities but the Top only managed 5 consecutive hitting errors which had the home side up by a 12-7 margin.
A hitting error by Belleville cut the lead to 4 but the Top were out-scored 5-1 as the #11 seed hit Summit with 3 of its 7 aces in the stretch to push the lead to 17-9. A Nat kill broke momentum but Belleville got it right back with another kill and the scoreboard read 18-10. SHS got Lynn to serve after a service break and Mac followed up with a kill and Summit was within 5 at 18-13. But 2 Top hitting errors and 2 more aces by Belleville got the lead back up to 22-13, a seemingly unsurmountable lead.
But SHS has never given up in situations like these all season and the team rallied for a big comeback. It started with a perfect pass that led to a Mac kill. Then Catherine had a massive stuff block and you could feel the emotional lift. 22-15... 3 straight Mac kills off great defense and serving and Belleville was forced to take a TO with the score 22-18. Off the TO, Summit got a key dig by Ayina that offered up an attack opportunity but the Buccaneer D dug it up which was followed by a Catherine block attempt that was yet again covered by Belleville but the Top was unable to capitalize as another hitting error stalled the momentum. 23-18... But after a near perfect hitting performance by the home side, Belleville found themselves commitiing 3 consecutive hitting errors which forced yet another TO by their Coach as the Hilltoppers had managed to outscore the #11 team 8-1 to make the set a possibility at 23-21. But coming off the TO, a serving error by Summit led to the 7th ace by Belleville which ended the SHS momentum and the set at 25-21.
Set 2 was an error fest by the Top as the squad only managed 7 points (5 kills) but there was still hope as Belleville only managed 10 themselves but SHS committed 16 errors (11 on attack errors) which led to the 25-12 scoreline.
Summit probably played the best set in the final set but so did Belleville as the #11 out-scored SHS 15-13 thanks to a 7-2 block and ace advantage. Factor in a 2.21 to 1.85 passing rate advantage and it was enough to overcome the outstanding defensive Hilltopper effort in the set (22 digs). The turning point in set 3 occurred after Summit extended the lead near the midpoint of set 3 to 10-7 after a crushing Molly kill forcing a TO by Belleville. But a 6-0 Belleville run fueled by 3 SHS hitting errors and intermingled with 3 Belleville aces which forced a Summit TO down 13-10. Two kills of the next 3 points by Mac got SHS to 14-12 but this time 2 kills by Belleville and another hitting error by the Top forced another TO by Martins with the score 17-12. Teams traded points off the TO which did not help the Hilltoppers as the 19-14 scoreline indicated. Three more hitting errors by Summit and Belleville could see the finish line at 22-14. Teams traded points again and 24-16. Mac got her 300th kill of her career and Nadia nailed another ace but the deficit was too great and Belleville wrapped it up 25-18.
A great ride in the post season but the team ran into a Belleville squad who played its best game of the season and SHS just could not match that today.
MATCH LEADERS
ACES: Nadia 2
SERVE RATING (4=ace, 0=err) : Nadia 1.90
RECEIVE PERFECT PASS (3): Mac 10
PERFECT PASS %: Ayina 46.2%
RECEIVE RATING (3=perfect, 0=gave up ace): Mac 2.08
KILLS: Mackenna 12
HIT EFF. (k-e/total att) : Molly .375
KILL %: Molly 50.0%
DIGS: Mac 15
BLOCKS: Catherine 3
ASSISTS: Nadia 23
BEST POINT SCORERS: Mac 14, Catherine 7, Nadia and Molly 4
BEST NET POINT SCORERS (0 or higher w/at least 5 earned pts.): Catherine 5, Molly 1
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