Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eaton players, coaches and fans celebrate as the Eagles defeated Waynesville in five sets 25-15, 18-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10 on Tuesday, Oct. 22 to advance to the district finals.
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
CENTERVILLE — Having played in the district semifinals last season, Eaton volleyball coach Parker Fields was hoping his team would rely on that experience when it faced off with No. 5 seed Waynesville at Centerville Tuesday (Oct. 22).
Playing the Spartans for a third time, Eaton took the rubber match in a hard fought five set match 25-15, 18-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10 to advance to the district final for the second time in three years.
Eaton lost to Waynesville in five sets in their first meeting this season, then the Eagles swept the Spartans in the second match.
Last year, with most of the same roster, the Eagles fell in the district semifinals.
“I think it’s great, especially since this was a rubber match, number one,” Fields said. “Number two, we went down there the first time, played them in five. Really, kind of laid an egg in the in the fifth set. Today. It was really nice to see them come out and be loose. I talked to the girls about Waynesville when we were in the locker room, and I said, you know, we’ve got about half this team that’s been here before, you know, and we played for one last year too.”
Despite being the lower seed, Fields felt his team was the favorite coming in.
“I just said to them you may be the seven (seed), but you’re the favorite here. You’ve been here before, they have not,” He said. “And I’m telling you, they’re going to lock up at a certain point, so you’re just going to have to just continue to push through. And I think they started locking up at what, six-six. That’s when they locked up.”
In the first set, Eaton pulled away from an 8-8 deadlock, scoring seven straight points to gain control.
In the second set, the roles were reversed as the Spartans used a 10-5 run to pull away.
In set three, Waynesville got off to a fast start building an 8-3 lead and still led 15-9 before Eaton made a run.
Behind the serving of Charlee Rubush and the attacking of Shandon Garrett, Eaton went on a 9-0 run to grab the lead for good at 18-15. After Waynesville got within 18-16, the Eagles closed out the set with a 7-1 run.
In the fourth set, Eaton fell behind by as many as nine points but closed to within three before the Spartans won.
In the fifth and deciding set, the team went back and forth with Waynesville taking a 6-5 lead.
From there Eaton used a 7-0 run to take control and eventually pull out the win.
Garrett finished the match with 24 kills and three blocks. Julianne Deaton added 17 kills. Kenize Wilson finished with 40 assists. Jillian Ditmer added three blocks and played a solid front row. Ella Statzer had 26 digs. Alexia Oda and Daisy Suggs each had five kills.
Eaton (16-8) is scheduled to play Roger Bacon in a Division IV district final on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Troy High School. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr
