McMillan, others step up, lead Royals to win

By ANDREW WILSON

Staff writer

The Wynford volleyball team may still be missing one of its top hitters.  

But on Tuesday, senior middle hitter and setter Averi McMillan showed she and other hitters can step up in her absence.  

McMillan ended the night with a triple-double with 15 assists, 12 kills and 12 digs while Adrienne Whitmeyer almost had a double-double as she provided nine kills and 13 digs as the Royals defeated Upper Sandusky 16-25, 25-15, 25-10, 25-22 on Tuesday at Upper Sandusky.  

Additionally, Grace Stucky and Katelyn Wagner each tallied six kills and Natalie Stover had three kills for the Royals (4-1, 1-0 Northern 10 Athletic Conference).  

“Sometimes I feel like our hitters are inconsistent, so it’s good to see other girls  step up other than Averi, especially Adrienne (Whitmeyer) killed it out there,” Wynford coach Clara Adelsperger said.  

In the back row, Reese McGuire tallied 22 digs, and Madalyn Johnson handed out 17 assists and seven digs. 

“Maddie Coffman has been playing back row for us because Emma Steiger’s been out sick for a couple weeks, and she (Coffman)’s been really great on serve receive,” Adelsperger said. “I think we haven’t missed a beat and we were able to get our hitters options.”  

But the Rams (2-3, 0-1 N10) turned a 16-14 lead into a 21-15 lead on a kill by freshman Addyson Newman, who also had another kill and an ace in the first set. Jenna Kurtz added kills in the first set as well.  

“The first set we did everything we were supposed to to keep them out of rotation,” Upper Sandusky coach Donielle Crall said. “We hit the ball where we were supposed to; we tipped the ball where we were supposed to and we just had fun. And we decided not to do that the next two, two and a half games. Game four, I think we did a little better and we just didn’t finish.”  

Leading 12-10 in the second set, the Royals went on a 9-2 run, a stretch that included consecutive kills by Whitmeyer, a kill by Stucky, a block by McMillan and a kill by Wagner as well as attack errors by the Rams. A McMillan block that ended a long rally and a Whitmeyer kill ended the set. 

With the Royals leading the third set 5-4, four consecutive Upper Sandusky attack errors gave Wynford a 9-4 lead. Leading 13-5, a kill by Stucky followed by consecutive Upper Sandusky attack errors, a net violation and another attack error gave the Royals an 18-5 lead.  

A kill by Stover gave the Royals the third-set victory.  

“We knew if we were attacking them, they struggled to attack back,” Adelsperger said. “Once we got our first set out of the way, that’s what we focused on, was being strong in our attack so we could get them out of system.” 

The Rams took an early 6-2 lead in the fourth set, which included a kill by Newman, an ace by Byrum and a kill by Kurtz among others. The Rams later led 11-8 after an ace by Alyse Swartz, but the Royals answered with a 10-1 run featuring four McMillan kills.  

But the Rams rallied with a 7-1 run, with two kills by Kurtz and a kill by Emma Dilley. A kill by Whitmeyer ended the match.  

Kurtz tallied 14 digs, seven kills and three blocks. Madison Byrum was 15 of 15 serving with 16 digs and one ace. Newman had 12 assists.  

“One thing I have to give credit to my team, they don’t give up,” Crall said. “I know in past years, we’ve always been done and there’s no coming back. Today they decided they want to make a change in this program, and I think one of these days it’s going to click and we’re going to be able to put it away and stay on top.”  

  Wynford also won the junior varsity match 25-10, 25-19. The Royals were led by Natalie Johnson with six kills and five aces, Clareese Prenger with six assists and three kills and Maddy Lutz with four kills. 

The Royals travel to Carey at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Upper Sandusky travels to Seneca East at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.  

 

Wynford 3, Upper Sandusky 1 

Wynford (4-1, 1-0 N10): McMillan 15 assists, 12 kills, 12 digs, 6 blocks; Whitmeyer 9 kills, 13 digs, 3 blocks; McGuire 22 digs, 1 ace; Johnson 17 assists, 7 digs, 3 aces; Stucky 6 kills, 3 digs; Wagner 6 kills, 5 blocks; Stover 3 kills, 1 ace; Coffman 1 ace; Schafer 2 blocks, 1 dig; Filliater 2 blocks, 2 digs, 1 ace. 

Upper Sandusky (2-3, 0-1 N10): Kurtz 14 digs, 7 kills, 3 blocks; Byrum 15-15 serving, 16 digs, 1 ace; Newman 12 assists.