By: Ross Van De Griek
TAMPA- On Tuesday night, we had a battle of two of the top five teams in the Tampa Bay Area in an early season showdown. #1 ranked Wharton defeated #3 ranked Plant in five sets (25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 18-25, 15-12) at Wharton High School.
Wharton got off to a great start as they started the match on a 7-3 run, on a couple of nice kills by Wharton senior Jamie Koopman. Both teams started alternating points for a short stretch, to make it 12-8 Wharton. Plant's Elizabeth Price had a couple of aces in the opening set. Wharton took a 17-14 lead, on a Jeanette Henderson kill. Wharton didn't look back & took the opening set, 25-17.
The second set was just about as even as you could put it. Neither team led by more than two points until the Lady Wildcats jumped out to a 12-9 lead. Wharton just kept increasing the lead from there, as they got kills from Deborah Rodriguez, Jamie Koopman & Lexi Morse. Wharton never trailed in the 2nd set, as they took a 2-0 match lead, with a 25-21 second set win.
The third set started in a very similar type to the second set, as both teams traded points for the first couple of minutes into the set. Plant senior outside hitter Sam Caglianone contributed as she recorded three of the first 5 points for the Panthers in the set. Plant followed up with 5 of the next 7 points to take an 11-8 lead. Plant continued to cruise through the third set, as they took their largest lead of the set at 18-12. Wharton followed up with three of the next five points, to cut it to 20-14. However, Plant didn't look back as they took the third set, 25-16.
Wharton started the fourth set out on a 7-5 run, before Plant took a 10-8 lead. Following a couple Plant service errors, Wharton regained a 12-11 lead. Both teams exchanged points & later in the set, we were tied at 15 a piece. Plant scored 4 of the next 5 points, to take a 20-16 lead. The match would later head into a decisive fifth set, as Plant won the fourth set 25-18.
Wharton got off to a solid start once again in the 5th set, as the Wildcats began the set on a 4-1 run. Followed by, Plant getting three of the next five points, to make it 6-4 Wharton. Wharton's largest lead of the set was at four, when the Wildcats pushed out to a 10-6 lead. Plant would not go away though, as they followed up with a 4-0 run to tie the set at 10-10. Wharton responded with a run of their own, to take a 13-10 lead, before Plant head volleyball coach Vanja Todorovic needed a timeout. Wharton held on to take the decisive fifth set, 15-12 & won the match three sets to two.
Wharton senior outside hitter Jeanette Henderson on the Plant win: "It's honestly amazing, it's the first time in my high school career we have won over them" she tells the Tampa Bay Times.
Wharton head volleyball coach Eric Barber on the Plant win: "It's a good win, especially when they had a 10 match winning streak against us entering tonight."
Both Wharton & Plant will meet each other again on October 7, but the next meeting will be at Plant.
Up Next for Plant (0-2, 0-1): Home vs Newsome on Thursday night
Up Next for Wharton (2-0, 1-0): Home vs Strawberry Crest on Thursday night
Unofficial Stat Leaders for Plant: N/A
Unofficial Stat Leaders for Wharton: Jeanette Henderson (8 kills), Jamie Koopman (11 kills, 4 blocks), Lexi Morse (3 kills, 2 blocks), Deborah Rodriguez (6 kills), Isabella Bonatakis (5 kills)
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