Photo by TRAVIS DAVID | North Central players Maycie Dreiman (left) and Sam Secrest go up to try and block a shot during Wednesday's match against Bloomfield.

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BY TRAVIS DAVID

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VOLLEYBALL

Bloomfield 3, North Central 1: The Ladybirds won their first set in nearly two weeks but could not sustain momentum in the 25-17, 24-26, 26-24, 25-19 conference loss on Wednesday.

North Central used a late rally in the second set to pull even in the match. Trailing 24-20, the Ladybirds scored the final six points to win the set. A kill by Maycie Dreiman put the hosts ahead 25-24 before Layla Drake finished off the set by painting the back-corner line with an ace. Drake served up a pair of aces in the final run.

North Central looked poised to make another similar rally in the third. Bloomfield led 16-7 midway through the set before the Ladybirds found some momentum. 

North Central pulled even at 23 before the Cards scored two of the next three points for a 2-1 lead.

“We can’t wait so long to start making our way back into sets,” first-year North Central coach Anna Orsburn said.

In the fourth set, the two teams traded points throughout before the Cards pulled away late.

The loss dropped North Central to 1-6 on the season.

The Ladybirds return to action Saturday, playing four matches at the Robinson Invite.

North Knox 3, Eastern Greene 2: The Warriors ended a five-match losing streak with Thursday night’s five-set non-conference win. North Knox improved to 2-5 on the season with the 27-25, 25-16, 16-25, 21-25, 15-7 win.

“The girls stayed in the game and played their hearts out tonight,” first-year Warriors’ coach Jessica Snyder said. “They definitely left it all out on the court tonight.”

Javen Miller gave the T-Birds trouble all night at the net, stuffing a total of 10 shots.

“Javen was on fire covering the front row,” the Warriors’ coach said. 

Offensively, like they have done all season Brynna Collins and Alex McKinley led the Warriors. The pair of seniors both put away 10 shots while also assisting the other.

Collins led the team with seven service points, five coming from aces and Malli Lyons recorded 23 digs in the win.

“Brynna and Alex brough the team so much energy and motivation tonight and Malli seemed to be everywhere in the back row covering all of the holes.”

The Warriors travel across the river on Saturday, playing four matches in the Robinson Invite. 

Hutsonville 2, Dugger Union 0: The Bulldogs fell to 2-5 on the season with Wednesday night’s Little Okaw Valley Conference opening loss 25-15, 25-14.

The visitors struggled to put the ball away, recording just four kills in the match. Hillary Flores recorded a pair of kills while Izzy Cole and Sage Stahl put away one shot apiece. Flores also added five digs and two aces in the loss.

Jordyn Smith led the team with six digs, while Kylie Gerig (5) Cole (3) and Caitlynne Henico (3) combined for 11 digs.

Dugger Union also dropped a match earlier in the week against Lighthouse Christian 25-8, 25-7, 25-8.

Flores, Arianna Frazee and Jalee Brumbarger all recorded one kill while Smith and Flores served up a pair of aces.

Dugger Union plays host to Wood Memorial on Wednesday. 

In other local action, Sullivan defeated Bloomfield on Thursday but no other information was provided. 

GIRLS GOLF

NORTH KNOX 204, South Knox 207, Sullivan 215: In one final tuneup before their county and conference meet this weekend, the Lady Warriors earned a triangular win at High Pointe.

For the sixth time this season, Brooklyn Sturgeon finished as meet medalist. The Warrior senior fired a 9-hole score of 40 to easily win the low score of the night.

Sturgeon registered four par’s in part of her round.

Abby Noland finished second on the team and in the meet with a 48, while Callie Meadows (57) and Brylie Earley (59) rounded out the scoring for the hosts.

Sullivan was led by sophomore Lanie Donnar’s round of 49.

Lori Alumbaugh was second on the Arrows with a score of 53 and freshman Paisley Drake was one behind. Kennedy Boles rounded out the scoring for Sullivan with a 59.

North Knox played host to the Knox County meet on Friday before also being the host for Saturday’s Blue Chip Conference meet.

SOCCER

Both Sullivan programs recently picked up wins on the pitch. The Sullivan boys earned their first conference win of the season, knocking off Owen Valley, 6-2 in a match resumed from last week. 

The Arrows broke open a 2-0 halftime lead with four more goals in the second half, improving to 2-4 overall. 

On Thursday, the Lady Arrows collected their first win of the season, blanking South Vermillion, 9-0.

Having scored just three times in seven matches prior, Sullivan found the back of the net five times in the opening half. The Lady Arrows added four more goals in the second half to secure the non-conference win.

No stats were provided for either match.

BOYS TENNIS

SULLIVAN 5, White River Valley 0: The Arrows quickly disposed of their sectional opponent on Wednesday, dropping just one game across five positions. 

Sullivan swept through all three singles spots by scores of 6-0, 6-0. Sophomore Hunter Pinkston moved up a spot for his first win at the No. 1 spot while Andrew Jackson also moved up a spot into the No. 2 singles slot.

Jaxon Zollman cruised to a win at the No. 3 spot for the Arrows.

On the doubles court, top tandem of Jayden Scott and Carter Mischler improved to 11-0 on the season with a 6-0, 6-1 win, while Wyatt Epling and Easton Monroe earned the fifth and final point by default at the No. 2 doubles spot. The win was first on the varsity for Monroe.

Sullivan (11-2) returns to conference play, hosting Western Indiana Conference rival Brown County on Saturday.

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