Sabers edge Portagers in three close games

Manistee Catholic Central’s Alysha Heck (left) sets the ball while Onekama’s Hailey Kott looks on. (Matt Wenzel/News Advocate)

MANISTEE — All three games between Manistee Catholic Central and Onekama came down to a couple points either way.

And in all three of them, the Sabers had just enough to pull away from the Portagers as they went on to win 28-26, 25-21, 25-22.

“I’m very proud of them for coming from behind,” said MCC coach Lauren Welsh. “There were times in all the games we were down quite a bit and we came back.”

Both teams had been off about a week and Onekama coach Sherri Slater said it showed for her squad.

“It was a slow, slow start,” she said. “It’s more like reactionary playing than proactive. Then we started mixing the lineup up, got a bunch of different girls in there … and I thought they were doing a great job.

“I was real unhappy with the slow beginning and real happy with how everyone was doing by the end.”

MCC freshman Kaytlin Heck finished with 12 service points, including seven aces. She closed out two games at the line, including the third when she got the ball with the Sabers down 22-19 and served up six straight winners, including four aces.

“She pulled through,” Welsh said. “She said she was nervous but she composed herself and had some awesome serves. As a freshman, that’s pretty huge to be able to go in there and close out games.”

MCC freshman Meghan Miller served up 12 points with two aces.

“I coached both Kaytlin and Meghan last year as eighth graders and they don’t play like they’re freshmen,” Welsh said. “I put them in and they can play wherever.”

Katie Pachesny and Alexis Miller had three kills apiece, Amber Robke had four aces and Alysha Heck had five assists and two kills as the Sabers moved to 2-0 in the West Michigan D League.

Onekama’s Kaylan Fitch served at 100 percent with two aces and seven kills, Anna Brown had four aces, four assists and two kills, Tawny Kott had three kills and Emily Bergren seven assists and two kills.

“People got in some time and experience at different positions and I thought they did a very good job at that,” Slater said. “I’m happy with that. We just need to start out more focused and have our head in the game and not back on our heels, like we were.”

Posted by Matt Wenzel / Manistee News Advocate on-line / September 20, 2012