By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
PETTISVILLE (September 11, 2025) – A late rally by the Pettisville Blackbirds wasn’t enough to stymie a 3-0 volleyball victory for the Archbold Bluestreaks at Pettisville Thursday evening.
The Bluestreaks got off to a dominant start in the first set, taking a 14-4 lead, including five and four-point runs.
Highlights of the action included three untouched kills by junior Kennedy Hurst and one each by freshman Molly Harris, junior Reagan Wendt, and senior Autumn Benecke, as well as an ace by Wendt.
With the exception of an ace by Archbold sophomore Emersyn Selgo, a kill by Hurst, and an untouched kill by Archbold senior Miley Gericke, the score climbed all the way to 24-14 on the backs of faults by both teams, before Bluestreak senior Lexi Ripke slammed in an untouched spike for the 25-14 win.
The second set began with a race to a 5-4 Bluestreak advantage, with all of the Blackbirds’ points coming from faults and all of Archbold’s points coming from kills aided by one ace from senior Charlee Forward.
Pettisville then made a five-point run, including an ace by freshman Madison Miller, interrupted by one point that looked like it would be Pettisville’s before it was initially given to Archbold and eventually replayed after a let call by officials.
The Bluestreaks and Blackbirds then traded points to a score of 13-9, Pettisville, including solid kills by both teams.
Archbold then caught fire and went on a seven-point run, including a pair of Benecke kills to take the lead, 16-13. They continued trading points up to 19-17, when Archbold went on another run, this time of six points, to take the second set.
Pettisville gained the first point in set three before going down 3-1 with kills by Archbold’s Hurst and Harris.
The Blackbirds, determined to fight back in what could be their last chance, scored eight of the next nine points, including two kills by senior Macy Hoylman, two by senior Naomi Richer, and an ace by freshman Miriam Richer, to put Pettisville up 9-4.
Play remained close throughout the set, as the teams fought back and forth up to 11-8, then traded three-point runs, and battled further all the way to 19-16.
Key for Archbold in that time were five more Hurst kills, while Pettisville benefited largely from Bluestreak faults.
After keeping close, the Bluestreaks put up a four-point run through three faults and a Hurst ace to take the lead, 20-19.
Pettisville made a three-point run and seemed poised to win at 23-21, but a fault turned into the beginning of a four-point Archbold run to seal the set 25-23 and the match 3-0.
Archbold d. Pettisville 25-14, 25-17, 25-23
Archbold (8-1): Kennedy Hurst – 14 digs; Karly Kruse – 35 assists; Lexi Ripke – 9 kills
Pettisville (5-5): Grace Hastings – 15 assists, 16 digs; Ava Hockenberry – 12 digs; Miriam Richer – 5 kills, 8 digs