Ooltewah Belts Blackman For Spot In 3A Volleyball State Tourney

Back to state, baby.

Denied in 2014, Ooltewah used the disappointment of losses in the Region 3-3A tournament and the sectional round two days later as motivation to make a return trip to where they always want to finish a season – in Mufreesboro.

“The goal has been met,” said senior hitter Alex Biro, who had 28 kills, one ace, six digs and three blocks in another sterling performance as the Lady Owls (45-11) knocked off visiting Blackman, 3-1, in a sectional match Thursday night at Edward M.

Foster Gymnasium, a victory that earned Ooltewah a ninth state tournament appearance.

Game scores were 25-20, 25-15, 21-25, 25-15.

Siegel defeated Walker Valley, 3-0, with games scores of 25-23, 25-21, 25-21 and moved on to the state tournament as well.

The state tourney will be held Oct. 21-23 with matches scheduled for Blackman High, Siegel, Stewarts Creek and Middle Tennessee State University.

“I was very nervous coming into this match,” Ooltewah coach Elaine Peigen said. “Very apprehensive. We struggled a little on our serving, which we normally don’t do, but we still came through with great teamwork.

“Coming into the season there was some concern with some inexperienced players, but they kept improving and made us a whole unit here at the end.”

Blackman ends its season with a 20-23 record and its coach, Rhonda Ross, left the Scenic City with a dim view of afternoon traffic jams due to wrecks and match officials.

Ross didn’t need to be prodded for her assessment of the four-person officiating crew.

“Refereeing is judgement and that’s what’s wrong with our sport,” Ross said. “I thought we could have (won) a few of those games if we had had judgement that went toward us instead of against us. We got a few calls for us being in the net when it was them and that’s why the other team was laughing. It makes me angry when (officials) have one job to do and they didn’t do it.”

Acknowledging that officials make judgement calls in every sport, Ross still said volleyball is worse.

“Most people don’t grow up playing volleyball,” she said. “They come into volleyball because officials get paid a lot. It is what it is. Our girls don’t have anything to be ashamed of, but it’s always hard to play on a court with a disadvantage of being (the road team).

“I’ve been in volleyball for 30 years and I wouldn’t have called some of those hand calls. We were called for three hand calls, three nets and one ball that hit (their) girl, but the linesman didn’t see it. Six or seven points could have made a huge difference.

“They weren’t doubles. Delaney King had seven hand calls and she hasn’t had that many all season. On a couple of those net calls, it was obvious (Ooltewah) was in the net. Did you see those kids laughing on Ooltewah’s side. I’m frustrated and I don’t want to take anything from Ooltewah. They played hard; they played strong and they have a bunch of good athletes on that team. It could have been a stronger battle if we had a couple judgement calls that went our way.”

The match was stopped twice when Ross complained of ringing bells – none were found – and students calling Blackman players names.

Each time Ooltewah assistant principal and athletic director Jesse Nayadly went to the student section and check on the complaints.

“We have some of the best refs in the area that were at the game tonight,” she said. “I would trust their call over anybody else. I think we played some really good volleyball tonight.”

Ooltewah’s Hanna Matthews, one of six seniors on the roster, recalled losing a 3-1 sectional loss in last season at Siegel and the entire team understood the significance of hosting a game Thursday.

“Oh, my,” she said, “Siegel is a prime example. We did not want to go back to Siegel at all because that atmosphere is hard. It’s much better when people are cheering for you and not against you.  You have to be tough, block it out and not let it affect your play, or use it as an excuse for playing bad.

“That’s why playing at home tonight was so important to Peigen and us (players).”

The Lady Owls, who beat the Blaze, 2-0, in the Mid-Tennessee Classic on Oct. 3 in Murfreesboro, went up 2-0 in Thursday’s match.

Ooltewah, the District 5-3A and Region 3-3A tournament champs this time around, had a 22-16 lead, but Blackman junior Maddie Lee scored on a tip and the Lady Owls committed three straight unforced errors. Suddenly, it was a two-point game.

Biro displayed her take-control ability by closing out the game with block, a tip and a patented kill on one of Hanna Matthews’ 45 assists.

In the last weeks of the regular season and throughout the postseason, the Lady Owls’ deadly combination has been like a wrecking ball destroying opposing defenses.

Blackman tied Game 2 at 13-13 on a kill by senior Tristyn Lozano, who had 20 kills and 13 digs when the match ended.

Ooltewah went on a 10-0 run – Biro had half the points – and Blackman was called for two unforced errors, one a double-hit, and pushed the lead to 23-10. The Blaze scored twice, once on Lozano’s kill and once when Ooltewah’s Sidney Killingsworth’s shot found the net, but Biro drilled a kill and Hannah Henderson followed suit to end the game.

Blackman used a 7-0 offensive outburst to grabbed an 18-13 advantage in Game 3 and when the Lady Owls climbed to within 24-21, Lozano extended the match with a game-ending kill.

“They flipped their lineup in the second and third games to put taller girls up there when Biro was on the front row and they got some blocks,” Peigen said. “But Alex was smart and we started setting the ball off the next to have more room to swing.”

Ooltewah held small leads throughout most of Game 4 and the Blaze tailed 17-15 on another Lozano kill.

The Lady Owls scored the final eight points – the Blaze were tagged with one double-hit – but Lee’s kill gathered net and Ooltewah started celebrating.

“They played more solid and have more talent on the floor than we do,” Ross said. “Mostly, we had one senior on the court all night and the rest are sophomores and juniors. That makes a huge difference.”

Statistics

Blackman

Tristyn Lozano – 20 kills, 13 digs

Kelci Williams – 9 digs

Maddie Lee – 6 kills

Paz Dozie Namaha – 5 kills, 4 blocks

Hailey Ivy – 4 kills, 1 block

Delaney King – 32 assists

Ellie Pettus – 12 digs

Ooltewah

Alex Biro – 28 kills, 1 ace, 6 digs, 3 blocks

Hanna Matthews – 2 kills, 45 assists, 2 aces, 5 digs

Alexis Godsey – 7 digs

Hannah Henderson – 11 kills, 4 blocks

Courtney Swafford – 2 kills, 20 digs, 1 ace

Sidney Killingsworth – 3 kills, 1 block, 1 dig

Summer Williams – 3 kills, 2 assists, 3 aces

Shelby Sutton – 3 kills, 1 assists, 3 aces, 11 digs

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)