After winning a sectional title last year in 4A, the Bellmont Braves were not necessarily defending their sectional title when they opened up play in the 3A sectional, but it certainly felt that way with lots of expectations being heaped upon them despite a 19-loss regular season.
The weight of those expectations grew even heavier as the Bishop Luers Knights won the opening set 25-23 to open up the 2026 3A Bellmont sectional.
Thankfully for the Braves, senior leadership stepped up.
Taylor Sutter led the team with a 17-kill effort, tossing the Squawd on her back in sets two and three to regain control of the match.
The Braves never trailed in the second set, winning 25-19. Bishop Luers bounced back early in the third, but the Braves overtook the visitors after the set was tied at 15-15 and never looked back.
The fourth set was an entirely different story. Bellmont led early, but Luers crawled back into the match at 11-all. The match was tied again at 14 and 16, until the Braves went on a run and led 22-17, just three points away from victory and advancement.
It took eleven more points to get the job done, including seven consecutive match points, but the Braves will now play Saturday against Bluffton, a team with just six wins. That semifinal will be at 11 a.m. and a showdown with #3 Heritage in the 6 p.m. final looks all but assured.
Along with Sutter’s 17 kills, it was eleven kills for Ell Schumm, who really came in clutch late in the match as a solid second option.
Emie Krull had 24 assists and Gracie Riggs had 22.
Sutter also had two aces, with Mia Fullenkamp having three from the service line.
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