DEFIANCE: The District-Semi Finals at Defiance High School got of to a inauspicious start for Tinora as they took on the Liberty Center Tigers Tuesday night.

Trailing 1-0 after dropping the initial set, and falling behind 6-0 to start the second set, Tinora Lady Rams longtime coach Bretta Hagerty asked for a timeout. Coach Hagerty used the timeout to calm down her Lady Rams volleyball team.

The Lady Rams dropped the initial set to the upstart Liberty Center Tigers, 25-14. The Tigers jumped out to an early 6-1 lead and lever looked back, leading by as many as nine, 18-9 before taking the opening set.

The second set didn’t start any better for the GMC Champs. Coming in with a 21-2 mark, the Lady Rams again found themselves in the hole, 6-0 to start the second set. After finally tying the set 10-10, the Lady Rams and Tigers battled the remaining set, with Tinora taking it 25-21 to even the match 1-1.

Tinora finally saw their regular season grove set in as they finally led a set, albeit just 2-0. The Tigers would lead 4-3 before the second seeded Lady Rams would lead 5-4 before eventually pulling away for a 25-15 win. Tinora would lead after three tough sets, 2-1.

As in the previous set, the Lady Rams wasted no time as the fourth set started, jumping out to a 5-1 lead before extending their lead to 9-5. Liberty Center would rally to close the cap to 11-8 before taking a timeout trailing 14-8. The fourth seeded Tigers would get no closer, eventually falling 25-15. The Lady Rams would take the match 3-1 and advance to the District Finals on Thursday Parkway.

Liberty Center sees their season end at 14-10. Best wishes to seniors Aletha Fausnight and Gabbie Conrad.

The Lady Rams continue down the tourney trail, improving to 22-2.

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to Paige Gamby. Congratulations, Paige.

Thanks to Mark Bly and the great crew at LC Tiger Sports Live for the joint broadcast!

Liberty Center (14-10) – Hope Atkinson 4 kills, 16-18 hitting, 4 digs; Aletha Fausnight 9 kills, 26-28 hitting, 4 digs; Aubrey Zeiter 14-17 hitting, 5 aces, 16-20 serving, 8 digs, 20 assists; Mackenzie Fuller 10-12 hitting, 2 aces, 9-10 serving, 2 blocks, 4 digs; Arianah Brown 12 kills, 37-41 hitting 2 aces, 10-12 serving, 9 digs, 13-13 serve receive; Chloe Mohler 11-12 serving, 19 digs, 17-24 serve receive; Brooklyn Mohler 3 aces, 13-13 serving, 9 digs; Paige Hill 3 block; Avery Maynhart 6 digs, 7-10 serve receive.

Tinora (22-2) – Macy Behnfeldt 12 digs, 14-15 serving, 26-29 serve receive; Paige Gamby 16 kills, 15-15 serving, 3 aces, 21-24 serve receive, 17 digs; Tatum Creps 20 kills, 4 digs, 15-18 serving, 4 aces, 2 blocks; Ella Schaublin 4 kills, 7 digs, 12-16 serving, 3 aces, 32 assists; Jayden Sines 6 digs; Christina Meyer 9 digs, 15-16 serving, 3 aces, 3 blocks; Addison Dominique 4 kills, 3 digs; Brooklyn Behnfeldt 9 digs.