Lady Hornets edge Wyalusing, 3-2 in District IV semi-finals

By: Ed Weaver  /  November 1, 2017

The Wellsboro Lady Hornets edged Wyalusing 3-2 to punch their ticket back to the District IV Class AA title game on Tuesday, October 31.

Wellsboro controlled the first two sets, winning 25-16 and 25-14 to take an early 2-0. That's when Wyalusing battled back.

After a 3-0 lead by Wellsboro Wyalusing cut it to 3-2. After trailing 9-7, Wyalusing scored 4 straight points to go on top, 11-9. Both teams battled back and forth before the Lady Hornets eventually pulled ahead 21-17. Again the Lady Rams ran off 4 straight points to tie it up at 21-all. Wellsboro eventually fought back to lead 24-23.

As Wellsboro looked to put the match away, a botched block gave Wyalusing life as they rallied for the 26-24 win.

Wyalusing took a commanding 8-1 lead to start the fourth set. Wellsboro kept battling back, however as they eventually got to within a point, 18-17. Wyalusing then went on a 3-point run to take a 21-17 lead and forcing the Lady Hornets to take a timeout to regroup. The timeout worked as the Lady Hornets 4 straight points to tie it up at 21-21.

Again both teams battled back at forth to tie it up at 24-all before Wyalusing took the set, 26-24.

As the match headed into in fifth set, both teams traded points and kept it close. Eventually the Lady Hornets went up 11-8 before Wyalusing rattled off 4 straight points to go up, 12-11. After Wellsboro tied it up at 12-12, Wyalusing again jumped back on top, 14-12. Wellsboro rallied to go up 15-14, but Wyalusing again battled back and took a 16-15 lead.

Wellsboro answered back to go up 17-16. After another long volley, sophomore Ryann Adams got the ball up to senior Brianne Keane, who tried setting up senior Cheyenne Sherman. The ball traveled close to the net and looked to bounce off both players out of bounds. Wyalusing was initially awarded the point, but after some discussion, it was ruled the ball hit off Wyalusing, giving Wellsboro an 18-16 set win, and 3-2 overall victory.

"I told the girls that we needed to push for the last couple of points. Do what we started to do at the beginning of the night," said head coach Sharon Zuchowski. "Any energy they had left they had to push forward and we just needed 5 points to get through this after start over again on Thursday night."

Keane led the Lady Hornets with 31 assists, 13 points, and 5 aces. Sherman finished with 14 kills and 14 digs, sophomore Caitlyn Callahan 11 points, an ace, and 4 blocks; sophomore Megan Starkweather had 12 kills, 10 points, and 2 aces; senior Jillian Graver had 9 kills, 10 points, 3 blocks, and an ace; and senior Hannah Burnett had 15 digs.

Karlye Huffman had 38 assists and 3 kills for Wyalusing, Melody Kneller had 28 kills, and Kristie Epler recorded 16 digs.

Next up for Wellsboro (19-4) is a rematch with rival North Penn-Liberty for the District IV Class AA championship at Williamson High School on Thursday, November 2.