Eagles defeat Northeast in home tourney final

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

UNIONTOWN -- Uniontown's volleyball team gained a measure of vengeance in the finals of their home tournament Saturday afternoon. The Eagles defeated Northeast in the finals, 25-19, 25-23, to avenge a loss to the Vikings in Three Rivers league play on Sept. 21.

"The girls really wanted another opportunity against them," UHS head coach Jackie Hall said. "Both teams played great volleyball. I was proud of the way the girls worked to stay in the match and execute our game plan."

The Eagles, ranked No. 5 in Class 3A by the Kansas Volleyball Association, and the Vikings -- who were in that same spot in the poll until Uniontown was moved into Class 3A for 2010-11 athletics at the end of September -- could meet once more. The Eagles have been assigned to the Sub-State tournament that Northeast will be hosting October 23.

In the Northeast match, Jacy Ermel and Ashley Nietfeld each had 8 kills. Tayler Shook handed out 20 assists and Tiffany Poyner was credited with 32 digs.

The Eagles (28-2) opened the day with a 25-8, 25-9 sweep of Crest. Jessie Camac had 7 kills. Shook had 15 assists. Poyner and Jessica Murrow each had 6 digs.

Next was a 25-9, 25-15 victory over Frontenac. Ermel and Hayden Rathbun had 5 kills each. Shook dished 15 assists and Poyner came up with 9 digs.

Match three was a 25-12, 25-17 sweep of Riverton. Ermel had 8 kills, Shook 12 assists and Poyner 9 digs.

"The first three matches were awesome," Hall said. "We played probably the best volleyball I had seen from us as a team this season, which is exciting as we are heading into the latter part of the season."

In the final match of pool play, the Eagles beat Yates Center, 25-12, 17-25, 25-15. Ermel and Rathbun had 7 kills each. Shook recorded 12 assists while Lauren Rockhold had 10. Poyner had 31 digs.

"We struggled in the Yates Center match," Hall said. "They played us well, blocking our hitters and taking us out of or system. I'm proud of the way the team came back and took the third set to win that match."

Pleasanton was also in the tournament and played in the pool opposite Uniontown. The Blu-Jays (9-18) lost to Northeast in their first match, 25-22, 25-23. They beat Marmaton Valley in the second match, 25-19, 25-22. They lost to Southern Coffey County, 25-16, 25-19, and Kansas City Metro Academy, 25-17, 25-9.

Riverton defeated Southern Coffey County in the third-place match, 25-23, 14-25, 25-10.

The Eagles are idle until Saturday when they will attend the Central Heights Invitational. Pleasanton hits the court tonight for a Three Rivers League triangular with St. Paul at host Chetopa.