Reprinted courtesy of:
Tipton Tribune


 By GENE F. CONARD
SHARPSVILLE –– It was quite the dominating performance, especially after a lackluster, losing cause in the season opener at Oak Hill the previous night. But the worm turned quickly.
Coach Kathie Layden’s Tri-Central Lady Trojan volleyball squad staged a complete turnaround here Tuesday night in downing a visiting Taylor Lady Titan club, 25-19, 25-10, 23-25, 25-15. The Trojans were alert, aggressive, in control most of the way and made this a total team effort with contributions coming from every player who stepped on court.
“It was probably one of our best-ever efforts,” Layden said afterward. “The girls played smart, they were aggressive, and their serving and passing was excellent. The thing that really impressed me was they got to almost every loose ball, kept them alive and turned them into points.”
For Layden, the win marked her 100th career coaching victory in volleyball to go along with her 156 wins in basketball.
Sophomore Lacey Dyer was the catalyst with a huge effort that included 22 service points involving seven aces, 15 receptions, six assists, 20 digs and two kills. She had two runs of four straight tallies, one of three straight and another of six consecutive markers.
Senior veteran Hannah Ray chipped in 14 service tallies, five assists, eight kills, 12 digs and receptions. Senior vet Jessica Cage had 11 service points, three blocks and 10 skills; sophomore Cara Thomas added 13 service points and eight assists; junior Briana Humphries had nine service points, five assists and three kills, and junior Cassy Malson added six service points, eight digs and 19 receptions.
Layden used her entire squad, and it paid off big time as Somer Muhs had six service points and four kills; sophomore Taylor Farris had 14 assists; junior Kelly Walter added three kills and three blocks and Caili Thomas added eight digs.
The Titans of Coach Angie Hansen stayed close in the early part of the opener. Taylor had brief one-point leads and it was a 10-9 TC lead when Cara Thomas served five straight points for a 15-10 Trojan lead. From there it became TC leads of 16-11, and 19-12 before Dyer notched the final three points.
Humphries served six straight tallies for an early 8-2 Trojan lead in the second game, and it was a 11-5 spread when Dyer ran off four markers to make it 15-5. TC used a 10-5 advantage to close out the 25-10 win.
The Trojans, now 1-1 as they eye a trip to Elwood Thursday night, appeared ready to make it a three-game sweep after taking leads of 10-7, 15-13 and finally 23-19 following ties of 16-all and 18-18.
But they suddenly became complacent, deserted the alert play that got them two early wins, and the Titans staged a run of six straight markers – largely via the efforts of Kaitlynn Smith, Bri Barnett, Mone’y Black, Leza Christophel, Brooklyn Lemons and Rebecca Maack – to take a well-deserved 25-23 win.
The fourth contest was a see-saw outing early on, and it was a 7-6 TC lead when Dyer served six straight markers for a 13-6 Trojan command. The lead grew to 16-8, 18-9 and 21-11 before the Trojans closed it out with a 4-2 run.
“Dyer and Malson were outstanding with their passing and defense,” Layden said, “but Lacey’s serving was tremendous. But Jessica (Cage) did a great job around the net, and the girls did a tremendous job of keeping the ball in play and made several big saves.”
Following Thursday’s game at Elwood, TC is idle until Tuesday when Frankton pays a visit.
The Trojan reserve squad of Coach Barbara Calvin downed the Lady Titan JV squad in two straight games, 25-20, 25-12.