BLOCKING ATTEMPT … Hilltop’s Brynn Rodriguez tries to turn away the attack by Katelyn Balser of North Central. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
WEST UNITY – The third meeting of the season between the BBC rivals saw the same result as the first two as Hilltop earned a fourth consecutive trip to the districts with a 25-14, 25-9, 25-12 win in the first sectional final of the night at Hilltop High School.
The Cadets started fast with senior Gabby Rodriguez delivering a thunderous kill for the match’s first point.
Another kill by Rodriguez gave Hilltop a 5-0 lead resulting in a timeout by the Eagles. Hilltop continued the surge with an 8-3 run to extend their lead to 13-5.
North Central then answered with a 7-3 spurt to trim the Cadets advantage to 15-12.
Hilltop would take control of the opening frame with an 8-1 run aided by two kills from Brynn Rodriguez for a commanding 23-13 lead.
Jayma Bailey would get the winning point for Hilltop as her shot over the night found an open spot in the Eagles defense to close out a 25-14 win.
The second set saw North Central keep things close early as a kill by Macie Gendron cut the Hilltop lead at just 6-5.
Libbie Baker was the catalyst for an 11-2 scoring spree by the Cadets with a couple kills and a block to help grab a 17-7 lead, thus forcing another North Central timeout.
Helped by several North Central errors, Hilltop wrapped up the second set with an 8-2 run to take a 2-0 lead heading to the third set.
Hilltop asserted themselves early in the third as they jumped to an 8-3 lead capped off by a kill and block from Mia Hancock.
With their lead now 14-8, Bailey served 11 straight points to put Hilltop on the verge of the districts at 24-8.
The Eagles were able to fight off set point with a 4-0 run before a net violation gave Hilltop the final set 25-12.
No. 2 Hilltop will take on No. 3 Edgerton (17-6) in the first district semifinal at 6pm on October 25 at Defiance High School.
The teams met back on September 19 with the Bulldogs winning in five sets 13-25, 25-20, 26-24, 12-25, 17-15.
Hilltop d. North Central 25-14, 25-9, 25-12
North Central (8-15) – Kaytee Tomblin: 6 kills, 2 blocks; Macie Gendron: 5 kills, 2 blocks, 10 assists; Maddy Zimmerman: 11 digs
Hilltop (21-2) – Jayma Bailey: 23/23 serving, 15 digs, 14/16 hitting, 7 kills; Joscelyn Layman: 11/11 serving, 28 assists; Gabby Rodriguez: 10/12 serving, 2 aces, 7 digs, 32/32 hitting, 14 kills, 4 blocks; Brynn Rodriguez: 2 aces, 12/13 serve receive, 11 digs, 11/12 hitting, 7 kills; Libbie Baker: 11/12 serving, 7 digs, 20/21 hitting, 7 kills, 4 blocks
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com