PENDLETON, IND - The 4A No. 2 Yorktown Tigers swept their first match of sectional play tonight at Pendleton Heights.
The Tigers took on the host Arabians in the first match of the night. The two have played once already this year, a match that Yorktown swept from Pendleton Heights Sept. 5.
Yorktown got off to a quick start in the opener, earning an early 14-4 lead before Pendleton Heights called its first timeout. Yorktown head coach Stephanie Bloom was happy with the energy they had out of the gate.
“I was really proud of how we came out,” she said. “I thought we were really sharp and dialed in, which is always good to see as you head into the tournament.”
The Tigers had Charlotte Vinson back for more action tonight as postseason play commenced. Vinson was a major contributor in the first set with a handful of kills and an ace from the service line.
The remainder of the first set was all Yorktown. The Tigers outscored the Arabians 11-3 to take a 25-7 win in the first set. Yorktown racked up 13 kills, three aces and limited themselves to only one error.
Bloom said that they have been focusing on defense to limit mistakes. Emphasizing their defense has allowed the offense to play more freely.
“I think the reality is, we aren't gonna overpower people at the net with our size,” she said. “So to be able to beat people defensively, you have to keep your ball in play to give your offense a chance to win out.”
Pendleton Heights got out with an early lead in the second set. Bloom thought her team settled in too much and fell off the gas pedal after dominating the first set.
“I think we got a little lax as the match continued,” she said. “We have to work through some of that and fight to be disciplined, even when it feels like we have some control.”
The offense dominated for Yorktown tonight. 16 of their points in the first set came from the offense and a majority in the remaining two came off of the attack. Bloom said they have been working on locking in their offense and limiting mistakes as they approached the postseason.
“I think you're just hoping your kids are going to peak at the right time,” she said. “I think we're continuing to really focus in our own gym every day in practice, and we really try to work on being disciplined in the little things.”
The starting lineup for the Tigers has seen some shifting during the season. With the limited action from Vinson and having to rely on other players, Bloom thinks they have maximized their potential as a team.
“Our lineup has changed a lot since we started in August,” she said. “So some of it is just being able to work through the kinks and have the time to work through those kinks and I think we're finally in a place where we feel like we have people, where we want them, and we're maximizing.”
The third set was another one dominated by Yorktown. Limited mistakes and taking advantage of ones made by the Arabians allowed Yorktown to take a 25-16 win to sweep the night.
Towards the end of the set, Bloom was able to rotate in some players that have had limited action. Freshman Liv Jones saw the floor while seniors Addi Applegate and Charlotte Vinson took a seat to finish out the set.
The Tigers have had a balanced and well-rounded lineup all season, something Bloom is happy to have in her back pocket for the rest of the postseason.
“I think having depth is huge,” she said. “I also think having a balanced offense is hard to defend, and that's one of the things that we've been talking to our setters about often, is the need to distribute the ball. All our hitters have to be ready and they have a role. There are times that we need everybody to be able to terminate, and I think you're seeing that out of our kids.”
Pendleton Heights finished their season with a 17-15 (1-6) record. The Arabians graduate only three seniors in the offseason.
For Yorktown, the season will continue with a Sectional No. 9 semi-final matchup with Mt. Vernon Saturday, Oct. 19 at 11 a.m. It’s a team the Tigers are all too familiar with as the 21-9 (5-2) Marauders played a strong match against Yorktown earlier this season.
“I think respecting our opponents and coming in and knowing we're gonna have to give everything we have, it's not enough to just put on a jersey,” Bloom said. “Mt. Vernon's a great team and they gave us a wake-up call the first time we played them.
“I think it's good for our kids to be reminded that it's anybody's game any given night, and that's why we have to dig in and give it everything we've got.”
Contact Logan Connor via email at logan.connor@bsu.edu or via X @_loganconnor.
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