NWOAL OPENER … Swanton’s Ellie Saunders hits a serve in the Bulldogs’ win at Wauseon in the league opener.
PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
KILL ATTEMPT … Wauseon’s Brooklyn Miller leaps to finish of a point for the Indians.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
WAUSEON (August 26, 2025) – The Swanton Lady Bulldogs won a neck-and-neck second set to top the Indians 3-0 in the NWOAL opener for both teams last Tuesday night.
Both teams came storming out of the gates in the first set, with the Bulldogs going on a seven-point run, including a pair of kills by senior Emma Forrest and a spike from sophomore Kinley Curtis, as well as several Wauseon errors.
The Indians responded with their own six-point run, including Swanton faults, a kill by senior Marin Leatherman, an unreturned serve, and a tip by blockers at the net.
Swanton continued to push hard, scoring 10 out of the next 12 points, carried by a pair of unreturned serves, a kill from senior Lexi Faber, and a pair of back-to-back spikes by Curtis, bringing the score to 17-8.
A serve fault from both teams was followed by a pair of points by each, including faults by each and a kill by Faber. Wauseon would only go on to score three more points before Swanton scored the five it needed to take the set 25-14.
The Indians started the second set with quick momentum and a 2-5 lead, but all seven points were due to opposing players hitting the ball out of bounds or into the net.
The Bulldogs struck back with a kill and an unreturned serve from Curtis, followed by a run of three points from Wauseon.
The teams traded another two points each to bring the score to 10-6 before Swanton picked up steam with a run of six, then eight points to the Indians’ four to take the lead at 20-14.
Errors provided most of the points for Swanton, along with a pair of kills from Curtis, with Wauseon benefiting from errors as well as kills by Leatherman and junior Ella Tule.
The Indians stormed back with a six-point run to tie the set at 20, aided by a kill from senior Brooklyn Miller and blockers knocking back an attack from Swanton’s Curtis.
The teams would end up tied again at 21, 23, 24, and 25 before Swanton took the final two points to win 27-25, with freshman Kaylie Graham’s successful tip taking the last point.
The third set started with the same close action as the end of the second, with the opponents tying at 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Kills from Curtis and sophomore Cara Ludlow buoyed the Bulldogs, while the Indians’ sophomore Halle Gleckler notched two kills on the way to another tie at 10.
A trio of failed spike attempts by Wauseon’s junior Addison Fisher kicked off an eight-point run by the Bulldogs, aided by a pair of kills by Faber to put the score at 18-10.
The Indians tried to battle back but were only able to put another seven points on the board as Swanton marched to a 25-17 set win and 3-0 match win courtesy of a pair of back-line spikes by Forrest and a final spike by Curtis.
Swanton d. Wauseon 25-14, 27-25, 25-17
Swanton (4-1, 1-0 NWOAL): Kinley Curtis – 28/34 hitting, 16 kills; Alexa Faber – 27/30 hitting, 10 kills, 18 digs; Cara Ludlow – 58/58 ball handling, 23 assists, 10 digs
Wauseon (3-4, 0-1 NWOAL): Bella McGuire – 27 digs; Braelyn Rupp – 8 digs, 14 assists; Anya Gonzalez – 11 digs