A. Smith leads with 8 kills, but Valley falls to CGA in sectional final

Wagoner’s 42 assists help Valley knock off Bremen in 5 in semis

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Volleyball

Tippecanoe Valley junior setter Avery Wagoner was recognized for recording her 1,000th career assist during a match at Rochester Oct. 3. Wagoner added to her total with 61 assists in two matches at Bremen in Class 3A, Sectional 18 play Saturday. Valley defeated Bremen in the semifinal but lost to Culver Academy in the final to finish 20-12.

The Tippecanoe Valley volleyball team went 1-1 at the Bremen sectional Saturday to finish the season 20-12.

Valley lost to Culver Academy 25-12, 25-21, 25-14 in the Class 3A, Sectional 18 final. This marked Culver Academy’s fourth straight sectional title and the second straight year they defeated Valley in the sectional final.

Culver Academy will play NorthWood at NorthWood at 10 a.m. this Saturday in a Class 3A regional semifinal.

Ava Smith led Valley with eight kills, and Ava Egolf and Mackaylie Costello had six kills each.

Avery Wagoner had two blocks and 19 assists. Erika Henderson led with 11 digs, and she also had 10 serves received. Egolf had a team-high 15 serves received, and Emma Patrick had 11 serves received.

Valley has never won a volleyball sectional title.

Valley began their day with a 25-15, 21-25, 26-28, 25-9, 15-5 win over Bremen in the semifinals.

Egolf led with 16 kills, and Costello had 14. Elise Smith and Wagoner had two aces each. Ava Smith had a block. Henderson had 20 digs and 26 serves received while Colette Blackburn and Wagoner had nine digs each. Wagoner also had 42 assists.

Egolf and Costello also had 14 serves received each.

Valley beat Bremen for the second time this season.

Valley’s 20 wins were their most since the 2019 team won 21 matches.

Culver Academy reached the sectional final with a 25-9, 25-9, 25-9 triumph over Knox in the other semifinal.

Culver Academy def. Valley, 25-12, 25-21, 25-14 (final)

Valley stats

Avery Wagoner – 1 kill, 2 blocks, 8 digs, 19 assists; Betty Shepherd – 1 kill; Ava Egolf – 6 kills, 1 ace, 1 block, 2 digs, 1 assist, 15 serves received; Mackaylie Costello – 6 kills, 1 block, 4 digs, 6 serves received; Colette Blackburn – 2 kills, 1 dig, 6 serves received; Ava Smith – 8 kills; Erika Henderson – 11 digs, 2 assists, 10 serves received; Elise Smith – 1 dig; Gaby Gonzalez – 3 digs, 8 serves received; Emma Patrick – 5 digs, 11 serves received

Valley def. Bremen, 25-15, 21-25, 26-28, 25-9, 15-5 (semifinal)

Valley stats

Avery Wagoner – 5 kills, 2 aces, 12 digs, 42 assists, 1 serve received; Betty Shepherd – 5 kills, 5 digs, 1 assist; Ava Egolf – 16 kills, 9 digs, 1 assist, 14 serves received; Mackaylie Costello – 14 kills, 1 ace, 9 digs, 1 assist, 14 serves received; Colette Blackburn – 4 kills, 12 digs, 2 serves received; Erika Henderson – 1 ace, 20 digs, 2 assists, 26 serves received; Elise Smith – 2 aces, 1 dig; Ava Smith – 1 ace, 1 block, 5 digs, 1 assist, 1 serve received; Gaby Gonzalez – 7 digs, 9 serves received; Emma Patrick – 9 digs, 6 serves received