Fairmont takes final home game
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FAIRMONT - In their final home game of the season, the Fairmont Cardinals took down Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 25-14, 25-16, and 25-19.
In the first set, the game started at 3-3 before a point scored by Fairmont's Adylen Laven kicked off a rally that ended at 10-3, when GHEC/T/ML's Meredith Miller tipped the ball over the net to make it 10-4. It would go back and forth until 13-5, when Jaguars’ Kyana Thomas spiked the ball and started a run to make things closer at 13-10.
Further competition took it to 17-13, before Fairmont would put it out of reach with a seven-point run started by a miscommunication by GHEC/T/ML and a block by Fairmont's Harlee Fastnacht. Jadyn Montgomery recorded a spike to end the first set 25-14.
Fairmont continued to pressure, starting with a 4-0 run that would make it to 6-1 after opening errors by GHEC/T/ML. Multiple small runs by Fairmont would add up to an 11-point lead at 19-8. However, thanks to a miss by Fairmont and a block by Jaguars’ Ashlynn Dirks, GHEC/T/ML would claw their way closer until it was 22-15. Unfortunately, Fairmont would be able to capitalize on a few key plays and wrap up the set 25-16.
Thanks to a tip over the net and a spike by Kaylee Kloeckner, Fairmont would get out to a 5-1 lead to start the third set. GHEC/T/ML would recover gradually and tie it up at 9-9. Another spike by Kloeckner would spark a run to make it 18-10 for Fairmont. After some back and forth left it at 22-12, an ace by Willow Singleton gave them the spark for a five point run to make it 22-17.
While it was scrappy until the end, GHEC/T/ML ran out of chances, and a ball tipped over by Fastnacht sealed the game for Fairmont, 25-19.
Fairmont Head Coach Stacy Garbers said they got their last home win of the season by playing their game and finishing. As they head into the playoffs, she said they are looking to build off of what they have done so far.
"I feel like we’ve really stepped it up over the last week, and so we’re just looking forward to a great playoff run," Garbers said.
Even though the regular season did not end the way GHEC/T/ML Head Coach T.J. Williams would have liked, he said they stuck to their game plan.
"We knew we had to stop their middles and also Jadyn Montgomery, because she’s a solid player all the way around," he said. "She beat us when she was in the front row. We had to take advantage of the serve receive when she was in the back row, so we picked on her a lot back there. We’re still young, but it was fun. Hopefully we can pick up a victory in the playoffs. We go to Cleveland, which is the number one seed, so it’s a little bit tough."
While it was an up-and-down season for the Jaguars, Williams said they had a lot of fun, and he enjoyed every moment with the team.
"There’s a few games that we should have won, but it is what it is," he said. "As long as we come out and we play hard, it’s really all I’m looking for."
For Fairmont, Montgomery had 11 kills and 14 aces. Fastnacht and Kloeckner had three kills, while Fastnacht had five aces and Kloeckner had four. Ella Wubbena dominated set assists with 23. Nora Fitzgerald recorded the 500th dig of her career.
For GHEC/T/ML, Kyana Thomas led with seven kills and Addison Barrick led with 14 set assists.
GHEC/T/ML (1-26) has their first game of the playoffs in Cleveland Monday, October 26 at 7 p.m.
The bracket for Fairmont's (8-12) section playoffs (3AA) has not been finalized yet.