Knights slay Lady Green at sectionals

By Chris Koenig, ckoenig
Published:  Tuesday, October 23, 2007 (1 year, 2 months ago)
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MIDDLE POINT — Getting hot in the postseason is something that a coach loves to see out of his/her team.
Crestview head coach Tammy Gregory is getting that right now. Her team advanced on to play St. John’s Tuesday night with the winner heading to the Coldwater district on the heels of a 25-22, 25-12, 25-15 sweep of Ottoville Saturday afternoon at Lincolnview.
“I couldn’t ask for a better performance from the girls,” stated Gregory., “They played the way we’ve been teaching them to play all year. It’s great to see.”
Ottoville (8-14) hung right with the Lady Knights in the first but in the end, mistakes haunted the Big Green. With an even 8-8 score early, Crestview burned a timeout. They broke the timeout and ran off three straight kills as junior Carly Lichtensteiger and classmate Megan Miller both scored. Lichtensteiger finished with 13 kills and five blocks, while Miller scored a total of six kills and three blocks. A kill by Big Green freshman Tasha Kauffman (5 kills; 4 digs) made it 11-9.
Several volleys later with a 13-12 lead, Crestview picked up a point on a questionable line call against Ottoville. Miller scored on a kill and Ottoville was unable to return a serve by senior Morgan Hicks (3 kills; 13 digs), making it 16-12. The Knights kept this distance to 23-18. Ottoville senior Gina Beining (12 kills; 5 blocks; 2 aces) scored on a block and a kill. Crestview was unsuccessful on a return volley to cut the lead to 23-21. On the next volley, Lichtensteiger cut the comeback off as she send a missile into the Big Green corner. An Ottoville mistake capped it off.
“We finished an opponent off, which is good to see,” said Gregory.
In the final two games, Crestview simply caught fire and took control winning easily.
In the second, Lichtensteiger, as well as classmate Libby Motycka (5 kills; 4 blocks), scored at will, with Motycka scoring all five of her kills. Ottoville had it within 13-8 at one point as Beining kept them close. Crestview went on a 6-0 run, headed by the Knights’ junior tandem, to take full control. Lichtensteiger again sealed a 2-0 lead with a spike.
Errors foiled the Big Green’s chances in the third as they made mistake after mistake, giving Crestview the upper hand at 15-6 early on. After senior Jennifer Miller’s (6 kills) kill landed successfully, Ottoville coach Sara Owens called time. Tricia Honigford scored on a kill and Crestview made a mistake to cut the lead to 16-8. Honigford closed out her season with a total of six kills, digs and three aces for a balanced performance. After Crestview increased the lead to 24-15, Ottoville made another mistake giving Crestview a district semifinal berth with St. John’s.
“We’ve seen them once this season,” added Gregory, referring to a Knights’ victory Oct. 6. “But it’s hard to beat a team twice in one season, especially a team like them.”

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