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LOGAN — All season, South Webster has adjusted and made the most of being a defensive-minded team.
It led the Jeeps to a perfect regular season, dropping just five sets throughout the campaign, as well as sectional and district championships.
However, unfortunately for the Jeeps, the pursuit of perfection is now over.
South Webster (26-1) was outmatched and overwhelmed in a Division III regional final on Saturday, suffering its first loss of the season by a 25-19, 25-21, 25-20 final at the hands of Byesville Meadowbrook.
Meadowbrook (23-5) went on the attack early, using its height advantage of Taylor Sichina and Karly Launder to power the offense.
The duo exchanged blows with South Webster, but continued to win the battle and help the Colts jump ahead 16-13. They kept finding the holes in the Jeeps’ defense before SW committed multiple unforced errors to close out the first set with a Colt victory.
Meadowbrook wasn’t letting up, either. The Colts continued to feed Schinia, Launder, Katie Stoney and Addysen Schinia the ball — which paid off.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
South Webster held one lead in the second set, which was 1-0 off a service error. After that, the hits began to take its toll on the Jeeps’ defense.
Both Schinia’s racked up kills before Launder sent one to the floor, putting the Colts ahead 11-7. The Jeeps managed to cut the lead to 15-14, but committed a service error of their own, taking wind out of their sails.
After that point, Taylor Schinia, Stoney and Launder logged three consecutive kills to create distance before shutting the door on a second set victory.
South Webster wasn’t ready to end its season yet, and jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the third, thanks to a kill from Mia Crum. The Jeeps continued to push forward and built a 13-9 lead after a kill from Skylar Zimmerman and an ace from Bella Claxon.
Zimmerman later powered down a kill, followed by an ace, to put her team ahead 16-13. But unforced errors and miscommunication began to pile up for the Jeeps.
Those factors helped the Colts go on a 4-0 run and score seven of the next eight points total to go ahead 21-17. The Jeeps attempted to regain control, but it wasn’t meant to be as they closed the final chapter of their historic season.
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