SECTIONAL FINAL … Evergreen’s Lissa Roesti keeps the ball in play during a three-set win over Genoa.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
SPIKING ATTEMPT … Lanae Manz drills a kill for Evergreen in last Thursday’s sectional versus Genoa.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (October 16, 2025) – Anyone who thinks Evergreen is a one-girl team in the person of high-flying junior Lanae Manz, better re-evaluate their thought process.
Yes, Manz scored 11 kills in the Vikings’ first 30 points of the match, but she got plenty of help from a shipload of teammates as Evergreen swept away Genoa, 25-16, 25-22, 25-22 to claim a Division V sectional championship at Archbold.
“At this point in the season, it doesn’t matter what happened in the last two months,” Viking coach Kelsey Wulf said.
“I thought Genoa played really well, they pushed hard the second and third set, and we got a little bit comfortable, and we have been emphasizing not getting comfortable. They got the best of us for a minute, but our energy, and it was a lot of energy, picked us up.”
Bailey Lumbrezer’s left side shot and an ace by Lissa Roesti got the Vikes off fast in the first set.
Manz stuck three kills, one of which was a booming block after a sprawling dig by Eloise Daugherty.
Manz then nailed an ace, and Lyla Radel blasted a round from the middle to extend the Viking lead to 12-6. Lumbrezer painted the sideline and each corner during a 6-0 run that extended the Evergreen bulge to 18-8.
Beth Sintobin delivered a rocket that gave a facial to a Genoa defender, then scored on a push before Manz ended the first set with a right-side shot.
During that first set, Genoa only got four points offensively. That changed in the second.
Genoa’s Makayla Zaciewski ripped off three straight aces early in the second that gave the Comets a 5-1 lead. Manz’s three kills, including a slap down dunk, got Evergreen back within a point.
A Comet attack that went out gave Evergreen a 9-8 lead, and thanks to Sintobin and Lumbrezer, the Vikings hit a 7-2 run.
Sintobin’s first ball slam, a double block with Lumbrezer, then two Lumbrezer kills along with Ireland Smallman’s ace made it 16-10.
Four left-side shots by Alina Kegerize and three more scores from Charli Magnone got Genoa back into the set, getting as close as 22-21.
With Viking blockers skying at the net, Comet attacks went awry twice, then Avery Emmitt smacked a crossing shot from the right side to put a cap on the second.
“Honestly, I thought our defense did a really, really good job,” said Wulf. “We were able to send back a few, and the ones that got through a block we dug up.
“We got a lot of touches at the net, not always clean, but we had more touches than we were getting two months ago, so that’s a big improvement.”
Genoa again jumped up early in the third set behind Magnone’s two three kills and a Mya Rethman ace, for an 8-4 lead.
Rethman’s left side shot gave Genoa their largest margin at 14-9. Once more, Evergreen rebounded, and once more it was Sintobin igniting the powder keg.
The senior middle’s push began a comeback that included a Roesti ace, another kill by Radel, and finally an ace from Manz that brought Evergreen even at 18-18.
Kegerize blast put Genoa up 20-18, but the Comets, trying to hit around blockers, sent the next four attacks out, giving the Vikings a 22-20 lead.
Vanessa Leu blocked a pair of Evergreen tries to knot the set at 22-22, but Lumbrezer regained a Viking lead with a sideline push.
Roesti popped off her third ace of the night, and appropriately enough, Sintobin ended the night with a first-ball bomb.
“Defensively, we did do a great job, but Beth had some great swings tonight, Lyla had some great swings, Bailey had some great swings, and everybody is coming together. This is the time we really need to be playing our best ball,” expressed Wulf.
Evergreen (15-8) now travels to Clay High School to face Archbold in a Division V district semifinal.