A loss in the opening set was no obstacle for the Heritage Patriots Wednesday night in the Teepee in Decatur as coach Shelly Schwartz’s team stormed back for three in a row to make a real statement in the local 3A sectional field.
Mallory Ehrman led the Patriots with 13 kills across the four sets, helping the visitors to an 18-25, 25-13, 25-21, 25-18 victory.
Coach Schwartz was more than glad to win the match on the road against the Bellmont powerhouse, which has now lost nine in a row after starting the year 3-0.
“We had a few players playing through injuries and a few that weren’t feeling well,” noted Schwartz. “The difference in the game was our blocking from our middles.”
The Braves did not have a block in the game. Belle Gumbel led the team with 12 kills. Emie Krull had 28 assists and Averie Coats had the same number of digs.
Belle Gumbel gets one of her team-high twelve kills.
After Bellmont pulled away from a 15-15 deadlock in the first set, it was back and forth in the second set with the two teams tied at seven.
“Our hitting started to get going,” noted Schwartz of that moment in the match. “That left them playing a lot out of system and playing a lot of defense. I needed the setters to speed up the pace and passers to get it on target.”
Maya Ehrman added twelve kills and Kinley Galentine had eleven. Elena Lybarger had seven kills and two aces.
“I thought Bellmont battled all night,” said Schwartz. “We just kept hitting it hard and adding a few tips. It’s a good win against a good team.”
Kinsley Galentine led the Patriots with four aces, while Kierstyn Hess had three.
Grace Scheumann had 23 digs.
The win for Heritage moved the Patriots up to #6 in the state in 3A, while Bellmont’s losing streak has come against such good competition that they remain in the top 20 in the state’s computer rankings in 3A.
The Patriots are now 10-2, giving Schwartz and her girls the momentum they’ll want with some big ACAC matches coming up.
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