Down two games, the Gresham Community High School volleyball team had no quit in it, forcing Tigerton to a 28-28 tie in the third game of a Central Wisconsin Conference-10 match Tuesday in Gresham.
The Wildcats finally gave up the last two points to Tigerton, losing the game 30-28 and the match along with it.
“Our girls just kept fighting,” Gresham coach Tim Wild said. “It took until the very end. It’s easy to get down on yourself when you’re down 2-0. They didn’t do that. I’m proud of them for staying in it all night.”
Tigerton senior Sarah Gauthier made it 29-28 with a spike kill, and then Gresham lost the next point on a misplayed bump that sailed into the net, ending the marathon last set.
“They’ve been talking better all week,” Tigerton coach Holly Block said. “I just told them they did what they had to do to win. So if it was pretty or not, they kept it going.”
Block said the Tigers are familiar with close games.
“I’m so proud of them because we’ve lost some close matches,” Block said. “So this one is one they won. I think that gives them a lot of confidence.”
Tigerton charged out to an 11-7 lead in the final set. Gresham pulled to 12-10 and then 16-14, before taking its first lead of the night at 18-16.
It would be short-lived for the Wildcats, though, as Tigerton pulled ahead 20-19. The two teams then knotted at 23-23 and traded points through 28-28.
“It was back and forth,” Wild said. “We just couldn’t find the way to put the finishing point off there at the end.”
Tigerton won the first game 25-20 after taking a 21-11 lead. Gresham kept things closer in the next game, which was tied at 9-9 before Tigerton pulled away to a 20-12 advantage. Eventually Tigerton won 25-18.
“Our girls got themselves in some deficits tonight,” Wild said. “That’s why I tell the girls every single point matters in every game. We found ourselves in a hole almost every game. We fought back, but the hole was too big for us to get over the top.”
Senior Katie Watters led the team with eight kills and nine digs manning the middle for the Tigers.
“Katie is my leader on the court,” Block said. “She can hit any ball. She can go left, she can go right. And with only one blocker against her all night, I don’t think it was a problem.”
Gauthier finished with 14 digs and six kills.
“She’s a wonderful back-row player,” Block said. “She’s been a back-row player her sophomore and junior seasons and now she plays all over for me.”
Morgan Marquardt had four aces.
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