Miller City’s Morgan Verhoff, along with Columbus Grove’s Aubrey Schroeder (26), and Kylee Longworth (24) fight for control of the ball at the net Wednesday night in Columbus Grove.
Nate Reynolds | The Lima News
COLUMBUS GROVE – On paper, Wednesday’s outcome in a non-conference volleyball matchup between Columbus Grove and Miller City looked like an easy three sets for Miller City.
Miller City defeated Columbus Grove in straight sets – 25-23, 25-17, 25-22.
However, during those three sets the score was tied 19 times, including 10 times in the opening set.
With the win, Miller City improved to 9-2 overall. Columbus Grove slipped to 4-5.
Miller City coach Tara Tietje said her team has shown a great deal of mental toughness this season.
“We’ve been talking a lot about their mental toughness on the court and putting the pieces together as a team. We want them to fight through it, be aggressive on our side and focus on what we can do as a team. You have to push through the games, especially when you’re getting tired. We have to play hard, work together as a team and make sure everyone is doing their part,” Tietje said.
In Wednesday’s first set, Columbus Grove had an answer for nearly every point that Miller City recorded.
Morgan Verhoff led the charge for Miller City in the first set as she knocked down four kills. Verhoff ended the night with 17 kills. Gemma Otto slammed down six kills, while Cloe Kuhlman recorded five kills on the night. Libby Erford had 22 digs for Miller City.
“My assistant coaches have done a great job with hitting this year,” Tietje said. “(Assistant coaches) Amber Miller and Adam Choi have taken the hitting while I’ve taken the defense. They have really improved our hitting in our front row players this year – just running different things and finding holes on the court.”
For Columbus Grove, Kendal Palte had seven kills, while teammate Aubrey Shroeder recorded six kills. Saige Benroth had 21 digs for the Bulldogs.
Top performers
Several volleyball players recorded at least 15 kills, 20 digs, or 25 assists in recent games:
• Mylee Sapp of Celina had 15 kills and Haley Kizer recorded 35 assists in a 3-1 loss to Minster.
• Kendall Schnipke had 22 kills and Erica Thorbahn recorded 42 assists in Ottoville’s 3-1 win over Shawnee. Thorbahn also had 26 assists and Jocelyn Langhals added 22 digs in a 3-0 win over Temple Christian.
• Karleigh Hutchins had 16 kills and 25 assists for Shawnee and Gianna Upshaw added 15 kills in a four-set loss to Ottoville. Maggie Jordan had 23 digs for the Indians in a sweep of Lima Senior. Hutchins finished with 19 kills and Upshaw added 15 kills in a 3-0 win over Defiance.
• Delaney Miller of Elida had 25 digs in a five-set loss to Lincolnview.
• Audra Clark of St. Marys had 25 assists in a sweep victory over Minster.
• Macie Clemens had 19 kills, Teagahan McDougle recorded 40 assists and Aislynn Noffsinger added 25 digs in Continental’s five-set loss to Arlington.
• Grace Moenter of Delphos St. John’s had 30 assists, including her 1000th career assist, in a 3-0 win over Van Wert.
• Morgan Verhoff had 17 kills, Libby Erford added 23 digs and Peyton Michel recorded 41 assists for Miller City in a 3-1 win over Holgate.
• Gracie Yarnell of Bluffton recorded 28 assists in a 3-0 victory over Allen East.
• Adelyn Figley had 20 kills and Emily Lichtle recorded 33 assists in Crestview’s 3-0 win over Lincolnview. Figley had 16 kills and Lichtle added 33 assists in Crestview’s 3-0 win over LCC.
• Kendall Frank recorded 35 assists, Lainey Thomas had 30 digs and Addy Bacon added 17 kills in Hardin Northern’s 3-2 win over Waynesfield-Goshen.
• Peyton Diller recorded 34 assists and 26 digs, while Corrin Luginbill added 16 kills for Pandora-Gilboa in a 3-1 win over Continental.
• Elyse Fortman recorded 25 assists and Saige Benroth added 25 digs for Columbus Grove in a 3-1 win over Allen East.
VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS
Western Buckeye League
`WBL`All
Shawnee`4-0`9-3
Ottawa-Glandorf`4-0`6-5
Defiance`3-1`9-3
Celina`2-1`3-8
Kenton`2-2`7-3
Wapakoneta`2-2`5-8
Elida`1-3`3-9
Van Wert`1-3`1-9
St. Marys`0-3`2-8
Bath`0-4`1-11
Midwest Athletic Conference
`MAC`All
Coldwater`3-0`12-0
Marion Local`3-0`11-0
New Bremen`2-1`9-1
Parkway`2-1`9-3
St. Henry`2-1`9-2
Delphos St. John’s`1-2`7-5
New Knoxville`1-2`5-5
Versailles`1-2`6-4
Fort Recovery`0-3`6-4
Minster`0-3`5-6
Northwest Conference
`NWC`All
Crestview`2-0`6-2
Columbus Grove`2-0`5-5
Bluffton`1-0`10-1
Spencerville`1-0`1-5
Lincolnview`0-1`7-2
Lima Central Catholic`0-1`1-7
Delphos Jefferson`0-2`3-8
Allen East`0-2`2-7
Northwest Central Conference
`NWCC`All
Elgin`2-0`4-1
Waynesfield-Goshen`3-1`7-3
Ridgemont`2-1`3-2
Hardin Northern`2-1`4-4
Ridgedale`2-1`2-7
North Baltimore`2-2`5-5
Temple Christian`1-3`2-9
Perry`1-3`1-8
Cory-Rawson`0-1`0-6
Upper Scioto Valley`0-2`0-6
Putnam County League
`PCL`All
Leipsic`2-0`10-0
Kalida`2-0`7-4
Miller City`1-0`9-2
Pandora – Gilboa`1-1`7-2
Columbus Grove`1-1`4-5
Ottoville`0-1`10-1
Continental`0-4`3-7
Blanchard Valley Conference
BVC`All
Leipsic`3-0`10-0
Pandora-Gilboa`3-0`7-2
Liberty-Benton`2-0`6-3
Van Buren`2-1`8-2
Ada`1-2`5-4
Arcadia`1-2`2-8
Elmwood`1-2`3-8
McComb`1-2`5-4
Arlington`1-1`9-3
Riverdale`0-3`4-8
Vanlue`0-2`6-2
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Saturday, Sept. 7
Minster 3, Celina 1
Coldwater 3, Defiance
Ottoville 3, Shawnee 1
Arlington 3, Spencerville 0
Continental 3, Temple Christian 1
Ada 3, Cory-Rawson 1
Tri-match at Lima Senior
Wapakoneta 2, Lima Senior 0
Elida 2, LCC 0
Elida 2, Lima Senior 1
Kalida Pioneer Invitational
Wapakoneta 2, LCC 0
Kalida 2, North Central 0
Delphos St. John’s 2, Wayne Trace 0
Liberty-Benton 2, Allen East 0
Fairview 2, Bath 1
Wayne Trace 2, North Central 0
Bath 2, Allen East 1
Kalida 2, Delphos St. John’s 1
Liberty-Benton 2, Fairview 0
North Central 2, Allen East 1
Wayne Trace 2, Bath 0
Delphos St. John’s 2 Fairview 1
Liberty-Benton 2, Kalida 1
Monday, Sept. 9
Ottoville 3, Temple Christian 0
Fort Recovery 3, Celina 1
Defiance 3, Paulding 0
Lincolnview 3, Elida 2
Kenton 3, Upper Scioto Valley 0
Ottawa-Glandorf 3, Eastwood 0
St. Marys 3, Minster 0
Coldwater 3, Van Wert 0
Antwerp 3, Delphos Jefferson 0
Arlington 3, Continental 2
Bluffton 3, Wayne Trace 0
Pandora-Gilboa 3, Elmwood 0
Leipsic 3, Riverdale 0
Tuesday, Sept. 10
Shawnee 3, Lima Senior 0
LCC 3, Bath 0
New Bremen 3, Celina 0
Delphos St. John’s 3, Van Wert 0
Parkway 3, Wapakoneta 0
Miller City 3, Holgate 1
Bluffton 3, Allen East 0
Columbus Grove 3, Delphos Jefferson 0
Crestview 3, Lincolnview 0
Perry 3, Upper Scioto Valley 2
Ridgedale 3, Temple Christian 2
Kalida 3, Continental 0
Hardin Northern 3, Waynesfield-Goshen 2
Defiance 3, Findlay 1
Wednesday, Sept 11
Miller City 3, Columbus Grove 0
Lima Senior 3, Rogers 0
McComb 3, Ada 0
Leipsic 3, Arcadia 0
Pandora-Gilboa 3, Arlington 0
Thursday, Sept. 12
Pandora Gilboa 3, Continental 1
New Knoxville 3, Delphos St. Johns 0
Crestview 3, Lima Central Catholic 0
Hardin Northern 3, Perry 0
Elida 3, Bath 0
Ottawa Glandorf 3, St. Marys 0
Ayersville 3, Kalida 1
Ottoville 3, Wayne Trace 0
Columbus Grove 3, Allen East 1
Delphos Jefferson 3, Spencerville 1
Celina 3, Kenton 1
Shawnee 3, Defiance 0
Wapakoneta 3, Van Wert 0
Ridgemont 3, Temple Christian 0
Waynesfield-Goshen 3, North Baltimore 0
Today
Wauseon at Defiance, 11 a.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf at Versailles, 11 a.m.
Lincolnview at Shawnee, 12 p.m.
Crestview at Kalida, 11 a.m.
LCC at Jackson Center, 10 a.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Spencerville, 11 a.m.
Continental at Hilltop, 11 a.m.
Cory-Rawson at Pandora-Gilboa, 10 a.m.
Tri-match at Wayne Trace
Miller City vs Wayne Trace, 10 a.m.
Miller City vs Toledo Christian, 10 a.m.
Toledo Christian vs Wayne Trace, 10 a.m.
Tri-match at Ottawa-Hills
Tinora vs Ottawa-Hills, 10 a.m.
Bluffton vs Tinora, 11:15 a.m.
Bluffton vs Ottawa-Hills, 12:30 p.m.
Tri-Match at Bath
Allen East vs Bath, 10 a.m.
Allen East vs Northwood, 11 a.m.
Northwood vs Bath 12 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 16
Delphos Jefferson at Kenton, 6:30 p.m.
Wayne Trace at Van Wert, 6:30 p.m.
Crestview at Fort Recovery, 6:30 p.m.
Lincolnview at Fort Recovery, 6:30 p.m.
Columbus Grove at Ottoville, 6:30 p.m.
Ada at Elmwood, 6:30 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa at Leipsic, 6:30 p.m.
Upper Scioto Valley at Cory-Rawson, 6:30 p.m.
Indian Lake at Waynesfield-Goshen, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
Kenton at Lima Senior, 6:30 p.m.
Upper Scioto Valley at Bath, 6:30 p.m.
St. Marys at Celina, 6:30 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Allen East, 6:30 p.m.
Marion Local at Delphos St. John’s, 6:30 p.m.
Bluffton at Delphos Jefferson, 6:30 p.m.
Spencerville at Crestview, 6:30 p.m.
Lincolnview at LCC, 6:30 p.m.
Continental at Perry, 6:30 p.m.
Holgate at Leipsic, 6:30 p.m.
Miller City at Pandora-Gilboa, 6:30 p.m.
Hardin Northern at Botkins, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
Lima Senior at Waite, 7 p.m.
Arlington at Ada, 6:30 p.m.
Leipsic at Vanlue, 6:30 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa at Van Buren, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 19
Bath at Ottawa-Glandorf, 6:30 p.m.
Elida at Celina, 6:30 p.m.
Defiance at Kenton, 6:30 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Shawnee, 6:30 p.m.
Van Wert at St. Marys, 6:30 p.m.
St. Henry at Delphos St. John’s, 6:30 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Allen East, 6:30 p.m.
Crestview at Columbus Grove, 6:30 p.m.
LCC at Spencerville, 6:30 p.m.
Continental at Ayersville, 6:30 p.m.
Arlington at Kalida, 6:30 p.m.
Miller City at Ottoville, 6:30 p.m.
Perry at North Baltimore, 6:30 p.m.
Temple Christian at Elgin, 6:30 p.m.
Ridgemont at Upper Scioto Valley, 6:30 p.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Cory-Rawson, 6:30 p.m.
Ridgedale at Hardin Northern, 6:30 p.m.
