To view game action photos, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
Devyn Ingram’s eyes grew wide when asked just how good Hatboro-Horsham’s Julie Harvey really is.
“She is the best middle hitter in our league, and I say that completely confidently,” Upper Merion’s senior outside hitter said. “No one on our team could dig her. She is such a tremendous player.
“It’s a pleasure to play against her.”
The soft-spoken Harvey was a one-woman wrecking crew in Wednesday night’s showdown between the two American Conference powers, putting away 33 kills in a dazzling individual performance that left players and coaches on both sides shaking their heads in amazement.“How good is Harvey?” asked Upper Merion coach Tony Funsten. “How good can one player play in a match?
“When I scouted their match again Basil on Monday, her first game was the most incredible domination of a game by one player I have ever seen. I have never seen a player dominate a match like that.”
Harvey was once again at her dominating best on Thursday night against the Vikings, but despite Harvey’s extraordinary performance, it wasn’t enough to defeat the defending champion Vikings, who eked out a 3-2 win in a match that had the gymnasium rocking (25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-12).
“They played fabulously,” Funsten said of the Hatters, who were without junior standout Kathryn Lucca (foot/ankle injury). “I’ve scouted them twice now, and those kids made plays that I did not see them make before.
“You have to give them all the credit in the world.”
Credit also has to go to the Vikings for withstanding Harvey’s onslaught and never wilting under the pressure of playing on the Hatters’ home court. Coming as no surprise, it was Upper Merion’s veterans that not only provided a steadying force but also plenty of big plays.
Ingram had a monster day of her own, delivering 19 kills and 42 digs. Junior setter Cassidy Koenig had 31 assists and confounded the Hatters with 12 well-placed kills, including a heady return for match point to the far corner of the court as the Hatters were crowding the net.
“She’s aware of what the other team is doing on the court,” Ingram said. “If they pull in too far, she’ll push it deep. She just knows what she’s doing.”
Ingram would get no argument from Hatboro coach Kathy Tanner.“For a setter, she has such great body language that she disguises her shot very well, and that’s very hard for a team that plays defense to read,” the first-year coach said of Koenig.
Thursday’s match had the look and feel of a district playoff match with one remarkable play after another on the court and appreciative fans showering the players with their approval from the sidelines.
If there was a pivotal play in the match, it might well have been late in the third game with the match tied at one game apiece when – after a huge dig of a Harvey kill attempt ricocheted into the net – Koenig calmly bumped the ball over the net in a play that wasn’t nearly as easy as she made it look.
Moments later, Ingram finished off the point with a kill that knotted the score 23-23, and the Vikings went on to earn the win.
“That was big,” Koenig said. “You could tell when we got the ball over, the fans went crazy, and it’s even more exciting then.”
“That’s the kind of play that will make or break a game,” Ingram said. “If that doesn’t go over after someone made a great up like that, it’s a heartbreaker.”
The match was filled with big plays.
In game one, Harvey gave a preview of things to come when she delivered back-to-back kills to give the Hatters a quick 5-2 lead, and the senior middle hitter admitted that Thursday’s match was something special.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s so much fun, but we play our hardest every game.”
The Vikings battled back to knot the score 9-9 after a Devyn Ingram kill that sparked a 10-point service run by Melanie Ingram and put the Vikings on top 18-9. They never looked back, rolling to a convincing 25-15 win that culminated with a kill from sophomore Casey Griffith.“She’s our number two outside hitter, and today she had to play right side all the way around,” Funsten said of Griffith. “She’s a tremendous athlete and is willing to sacrifice for the team. That’s what makes us the team that we are, and we’ll get better if she has to stay in that position.”
In game two, the Hatters led 6-2 after a Harvey kill, and that lead grew to 8-2 after a Viking passing miscue. The Vikings made it a 15-13 game after a Koenig winner, but they would get no closer the rest of the way as the Hatters closed it out with Harvey delivering back-to-back kills to put the finishing touches on the win.
For the third time in as many games, the Hatters opened up an early lead, going on top 6-2 after a Harvey kill in game three. They still led 18-16 after a Harvey kill, prompting the Vikings to take a timeout. A Hatter net serve was followed by a Melanie Ingram cross-court kill to knot the score. A Harvey kill put the Hatters on top, and they opened up a 22-19 lead after a Gab Pio winner.
Again the Vikings called a timeout, and this time it was the Hatters making back-to-back miscues, setting the stage for Koenig’s brilliant play on a ball into the net. Annie Lawn followed with a service ace, and when the Hatters were whistled for a double hit, the Vikings won 25-23 to take a 2-1 edge in games.
“They have a really good defense, and their setter is really good,” Harvey said. “They always pick up every ball. They don’t let it drop, and they have good blocks too.”
In game four, the Hatters took an early 3-1 lead after a Harvey kill. They still led 17-15 after a Harvey kill, but the Vikings rallied to take a 19-18 lead after a Devyn Ingram kill and led by two after a Lawn service winner. They went on to open up a 23-20 lead after another Ingram kill, but the Hatters weren’t finished yet.
A Viking block out of play was followed by back-to-back Harvey kills, and then Harvey teamed with Danielle Barron for a block that put the Hatters on top 24-23. They won it on a Harvey kill.
“The fact that their outside (Lucca) is hurt almost makes them set her even more,” Funsten said of Harvey. “I was like, ‘Set some of the others, will you?’ Their setter (Kelsey Baranek) does a great job of getting her the ball.”
Game five was another heart stopper. The Hatters led 8-6 after back-to-back Viking miscues, and they still led 9-7 after a back row kill from Harvey. Consecutive Devyn Ingram kills knotted the score, and the teams were still deadlocked at 10-10. The Hatters led 12-10 after back-to-back Harvey kills, but a huge Devyn Ingram block in the middle of the net set the stage for four straight Viking points that included an Ingram tip and Koenig’s winner for match point that set off a jubilant celebration.
The Vikings – despite once again graduating some key players - just keep coming back and winning.
“We just have a lot of experience,” Koenig said. “Mr. Funsten is a really good coach.”
“He scouts for us – we know who serves where, who hits where,” Ingram said.
“They’re a very well-rounded team,” Tanner said. “They don’t let a ball hit the ground. They’re very scrappy.
“It was a lot of fun. We have to think of the positives. It’s always fun to go home with the trophy, but in my book, they’re still winners.
“Julie had such an awesome night. We happened to lose the fifth game, but she certainly won the MVP in everybody’s books.”
NOTES: Viking libero Shannon Phillips quietly contributed 33 digs in a standout effort…Harvey acknowledged the role of setter Kelsey Baranek in her big performance. “I couldn’t have done it without Kelsey,” the Hatters’ star middle said. “Her sets were amazing.”…Kathryn Lucca, who was injured in tournament play last weekend, is sidelined for an indefinite period of time. “I was more disappointed for her than for me because it’s her high school experience,” Tanner said. “I know the team will get by. We have the combination of team members to make it happen.”
- Log in to post comments
0
