Volleyball: O-G will play for a state championship

Sports High School Sports Top Stories Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp FAIRBORN – The Ottawa-Glandorf volleyball team did not panic. After O-G quickly got down 8-0 in the first set and eventually lost to Mentor Lake Catholic in that initial set of Thursday’s Division IV state semifinal match, the Titans regrouped and battled back, en route to a hard-fought five-set victory – 14-25, 26-28, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13 at the Nutter Center on the campus of Wright State University. Win the win, O-G (24-3) will face Bishop Fenwick (26-2) in a Division IV state final on Friday at the Nutter Center with game-time set for 4 p.m. Fenwick defeated Gallia Academy in Thursday’s other state semifinal, 3-1. Mentor Lake Catholic, who won the state title four consecutive years, coming into Thursday’s state semifinal, ended its season with a record of 23-5. “I think at first, we were just a little shellshocked,” O-G coach Maddie Hauenstein said about her team’s sluggish start. “We had to get used to our environment, which isn’t something new for us. So, honestly, because we have seen that in different games, I feel like we were able to adjust – and were able to know the game wasn’t over at any point in time. So, they just kind of kept going and kept fighting.” O-G senior Gracie Lammers, who recorded 11 digs and three serving aces, said her team did not panic on Thursday. “We’ve been here before. In the district finals (five-set win over Bellevue), we lost the first two sets, and we didn’t play how we wanted to play. So, whatever we had left, we knew we had to put it out there. We did that – and I’m really proud of us,” she said. There were a total of 33 ties and 15 lead changes on the night. “I think our fight is undeniable,” O-G senior Ella White said. “Obviously, we didn’t play our best game, but we were still fighters. We seniors really embody the belief in our team. We’re not ready to be done and that showed when we were on the court.” Three O-G players registered double digits in kills. Allison Kuhlman led the Titans with 18 kills, while Madison McKee had 15 kills and White had 11. Grace Kahle had eight kills and five blocks, while Alivia Bellman had 40 assists and 25 digs for the Titans. “I feel like coming out of that second set, our team did such a great job of coming together as a team – knowing our values and really showing that on the floor,” Grace Kahle said. “I feel like that’s really the fight and grit that we have – and it’s really what took us to five (sets) and got us here.” McKee added, “I think we know what we are capable of – and having done it in the district finals. It was something that we knew was possible, with our fight and our grit. And even the crowd – they carried us through to that win.” Ahnna Bergant led Lake Catholic with 23 kills and 21 digs. Coach Hauenstein added, “I just feel like, in general, there’s not a lot of high school teams, high school girls that can get down, and turn around and just go. These four seniors have really done a wonderful job of showing our group how to do that. That takes a lot of resiliency and mental toughness. And I think we all have worked on that together.” Ottawa-Glandorf 3, Lake Catholic 2 Kills: (OG) – Allison Kuhlman 18; (LC) – Ahnna Bergant 23 Digs: (OG) – Alivia Bellman 25; (LC) -Lola Loncar 29 Assists: (OG) – Alivia Bellman 40; (LC) – Emily Dunavant 27 Blocks: (OG) – Grace Kahle 5; (LC) – Emma Riebe 2 Aces: (OG) – Gracie Lammers 3; (LC) – Lola Loncar 4 Featured Local Savings