Lancers open with sweep of Van Wert

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

The Lincolnview Lady Lancers opened their new volleyball season in impressive fashion by sweeping Van Wert 25-11, 25-20, and 25-22 at Van Wert High School on Tuesday.

Lincolnview jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first set, with the advantage later ballooning to 17-5 and 20-8, and it seemed the Lady Lancers never looked back after that.

“The first set was very important to us,” Lincolnview head coach JaNahn Evans said. “We wanted to come out swinging away and I think we did that. I was very pleased with the first set.”

“It was our first match of the year and we wanted to come out right and we wanted to come out strong,” Evans continued. “This is a very big win for us and it’s a good area for us to see what we need to go back and work on.”

The Lady Cougars (1-1) grabbed a 4-1 lead in the second set, but Lincolnview (1-0) went on a 10-3 run. Van Wert led briefly, 15-14, but the Lady Lancers seized control and went on to end the set on a thunderous kill by Kendall Bollenbacher.

After falling behind 5-1 in the third set, Van Wert hung tough and trimmed Lincolnview’s lead to two on three occasions, including 23-21.

“The first game was ugly, but we had our spurts in the second and third sets,” Van Wert head coach Jeff Marbaugh said. “We got the ball where we needed to and we got what we wanted, but we had too many balls that weren’t where we needed to get them.”

“Don’t take anything away from Lincolnview, they’re a good team,” Marbaugh added. “They get after it and they have hitters coming across at you at any spot and sometimes we just weren’t prepared to block balls.”

Jamison Clouse led Van Wert with 12 kills, 10 digs and two blocks, while Katie Coplin had a team leading 11 assists. Izzy Carr contributed with eight digs and a pair of blocks.

“Overall we had different people step up at different times,” Marbaugh said. “Jamison in two matches so far had some nice swings and I thought our setters were getting balls up in the air, but we’re a work in progress, especially on defense, because we have one defensive player back, so we have a lot of kids at the varsity level trying to pick up varsity speed.”

Brianna Ebel led Lincolnview with 28 assists, while Lana Carey had a team high 15 digs and five aces. Madison Williams finished with 10 kills.

“I think Bri (Ebel) had a nice setting game,” Evans said. “She was really dishing the ball out to my hitters and I think Maddie Williams hit the ball well. Kendall did a nice job swinging and Sami Sellers too, and Lana (Carey) in the back – defense in the back is big.”

Both teams will return to action on Saturday, with Van Wert hosting Delphos St. John’s and Lincolnview entertaining Antwerp.