Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

THREE RIVERS — The girls’ volleyball season ended in the Division 2 semifinals Wednesday after losses by both Edwardsburg and Dowagiac over in Three Rivers. 

Dowagiac fell to Vicksburg in the first match 20-25, 18-25, 22-25 before Edwardsburg’s season ended with a 17-25, 25-17, 23-25, 22-25 setback to Three Rivers. 

Three Rivers advances to face Vicksburg in Thursday’s championship match at 6 p.m.

Edwardsburg came into Thursday’s match hoping to avenge an earlier 3-1 loss to Three Rivers during the Wolverine Conference season. 

Three Rivers’ experience paid off, however, against Edwardsburg, a squad featuring just three seniors and dominated by talented underclassmen, including six sophomores and four juniors. 

The Eddies led the Wildcats four times early on in the opening game. Khaylin Homan’s tip gave Edwardsburg its last lead of the game at 5-4. But Three Rivers battled back and led by as many as seven points (16-9) after a Bekah Beachey kill. The closest the Eddies would come the rest of the game was three  points (15-18) following a Sarah Pippin kill. Three Rivers ended the game after scoring a point off an unforced error by Edwardsburg.  

Game two saw neither side leading by more than a point or two until the Eddies eventually built a five-point advantage (22-17) after a tip by junior middle blocker Mya Eberlein. A Pippin kill on game point heled the Eddies even the match score at 1-1. 

Edwardsburg found itself trailing Three Rivers 18-14 in the third game after a kill from junior outside hitter Dani Glass. But the Eddies would rally to take a 20-19 lead on back-to-back aces by Pippin. A tip by sophomore Kyla Shier helped Edwardsburg even the game up at 23-23. But Allie Yost’s kill  for the Wildcats and an Eddies unforced error ended the game and put the hosts in front 2-1. 

Edwardsburg led Three Rivers by four points (14-10) during the fourth game. The Eddies enjoyed a late 20-18 lead after another Pippin kill. The game would be tied on three more occations before Three Rivers recorded thre consecutive points after the score was tied at 22-22. Edwardsburg’s Eberlein was long on a kill attempt before Three Rivers’ Yost recorded an ace and the Eddies were called by running into the net on game and match point. 

Pippin had 22 kills, 11 digs, one block and three aces to lead Edwardsburg’s attack. Ella Laskowski finished with nine kills, four digs, one block and one ace. Eberlein totaled six kills and 11 blocks. Setter Olive Walk produced six kills, three digs, two aces and 36 assists. Freshman Arden Sponsky added eight digs and two aces and Sophie Kuntz tossed in 11 digs and one ace. 

“We are a young team compared to Three Rivers. They have nine or 10 upperclassmen. We are an athletic group and I thought that would get us there this season. It’s just those tight moments that you need to experience before you can develop a culture where you win those kinds of matches,” Edwardsburg coach Sarah Strefling said. “Our kids didn’t roll over and really competed. Three Rivers is a very tough place to play.” 

The match was the final one for Edwardsburg’s three seniors Mia Graziani, Ella Armock and Alivia Kuntz. 

“It was tough for our seniors.  They have been dedicated and put  alot of time and effort into it. All three have tried to be vocal. They were surrounded this season by a lot of youngsters,” Strefling said. 

Edwardsburg’s coach smiled when asked about the program’s future with several players returning next season. 

“I do think we had moments of greatness this season playing a very difficult schedule. We played alot of Class A schools and ranked schools and I did that for a reason. We never walked away from a match thinking we got dominated by the other team,” Strefling said. 

Dowagiac (17-26-1) overcame a six-point deficit in the first game and eventually pulled within two points (18-20) following an ace by Tessa Deering. But the Lady Chieftains could inch no closer as Vicksburg got consecutive kills from Addison Naplin, Scarlett Hosner and Hailey Havera to end the game.

Except for a couple times early in the second game where the score was tied, Dowagiac never led and found themselves behind 15-8 following a kill by Vicksburg’s Brynn Swetz. The Bulldogs closed out the game with strong serving from Lena Lancaster for a 2-0 lead. 

Dowagiac enjoyed a 19-17 lead over Vicksburg in game three but gave uo key kills near the end of the game to the Bulldogs’ Naplin and Swetz. 

“We came into this match concentrating on confidence and roll shots and working on our back row. Our libero got quite a few kills tonight and is a good option. With only two seniors we are looking to win conference next season and build to get through districts,” Dowagiac coach Amber Todd said. 

Hanah McCuddy had 11 assists, four digs, three aces and one kill; Riley Todd had three kills, two blocks, two digs and one ace; Marlie Carpenter had six kills, three blocks and one dig; Tessa Deering had eight digs, three kills, three aces and one ace; Ava Nate had two kills, two digs and one block; Zabrina Shivers had seven digs, four kills and one ace; Brianna Campbell had three kills and three digs; Emerson Kruger had four digs and two aces; Claire Hess had six digs and six assists; Brenna Mott had five digs, Emily Henry one dig and Tatiyana Lara one assist.