Senior staff writer
In an early season turnaround, winless Beech Grove jelled Saturday by going unbeaten in four matches to win the coveted Blackhawk Invitational volleyball tournament at Cowan High School.
The Hornets entered the tourney 0-4 but conquered Blue River 20-25, 25-12, 15-12; Oldenburg 25-11, 25-12; and Peru 25-13, 25-17 before defeating Cambridge City Lincoln 25-23 and 25-19 for the championship.
“This was a total team effort,” assistant coach Lois Speziale said. “All of the girls came together and played the best they have all season.”
BG junior libero Michelle Jennings was named Most Valuable Player; junior middle hitter Abbe Ferrer and sophomore setter Alyssa Walsh were named to the all-tourney team.
Hornets’ leaders were (cumulative stats): Katie Giller, 19 kills, 34 digs; Ferrer, 15 kills; Brianna Johnson, 15 kills, four aces; Walsh, 50 assists, 30 digs, five aces, five kills; and Jennings, 11 digs
Walsh had 15 digs and 16 assists against Blue River; Johnson had seven kills against Peru; and Giller had 10 digs and eight kills against Lincoln.
In Saturday’s Yorktown Invitational, Roncalli recovered and finished 2-2. The Rebels fell to Yorktown 25-17 and 25-21 and Center Grove 25-14 and 25-21 but defeated Chatard 25-19 and 25-23 and Westfield 25-22, 21-25, 15-11.
Kalyn Schreiber, 31 kills, and Hannah Irmer, 35 digs, led the 4A No. 15 Rebels.
Center Grove fell to 3A No. 2 Yorktown Saturday and lost to 4A No. 19 Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran and defeated 3A No. 6 Chatard and Roncalli. The Trojans are 5-3 and dropped to No. 4 in the state coaches poll Monday.
Perry Meridian, No. 20 in 4A, dropped its first two matches in the Avon Invitational but defeated Jennings County 25-12 and 25-18 and Greenwood 25-21 and 25-17 for seventh place.
Greenwood was 1-3, defeating Jennings County 25-11 and 25-18 but losing to Avon in three sets and North Central 25-16, 25-21. Greenwood senior Olivia Stilley had 10 kills against Avon.
Perry Meridian 6-3 freshman Caitie Baird had 12 kills against Greenwood.
Greenwood Christian Academy, No. 16 in Class A, defeated Northeastern and South Dearborn but lost to tourney host 2A No. 9 Triton Central.