DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
The Heritage Patriots pushed their season record to a spectacular 27-2 with one regular season game remaining by winning at a hostile Blackhawk Christian Tuesday, 17-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-17.
Kinley Galentine led the Patriots with 14 kills.
“That was a feisty team,” said Heritage coach Shelly Schwartz. “They just kept digging us and we just kept swinging. It was a great match to watch.”
The team has now won 22 in a row and they’ll attempt to carry that streak into the postseason by beating Dwenger at home on Thursday.
“If you haven’t seen this team in action yet, Patriot fans, it’s your last chance to see them at home.”
Schwartz felt that one of the key players on the night was Elena Lybarger, especially in the third and fourth sets, when the BC student section was especially brutal on the team.
“She (Elena) came up big in the last moments. She had some big blocks to the momentum our way.”
Lybarger had four digs and two kills, as well.
“I felt Blackhawk knew how good of a season we were having and they rose to the occasion to try and spoil our season. The girls got that experience of a fan section that heckled them.”
Schwartz noted that it took a bit of persuasion from her staff to convince the girls to not let it bother them.
“We battled. We didn’t lose our composure,” the coach said of dropping the first set. “We came back swinging and played better defense in those last three sets.”
Schwartz hopes that the grind of a close game will help the team get ready for tourney play. Her team is ranked third in the state computer rankings in 3A and 19th overall.
Heritage will begin sectional play against Norwell in the 3A Bellmont sectional next Thursday. All Heritage postseason matches will be broadcast by WZBD.
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