Senior staff writer
Center Grove’s girls volleyball team went the deepest in the state tournament by reaching the final match of the 4A Seymour Regional.
The No. 8 Trojans were overpowered by No. 3 Providence 3-1 in the title match after sweeping Castle 3-0 earlier.
Center Grove evened the match against Providence with a 27-25 win in the second set. The Pioneers won the next sets 25-18 and 25-21. Ellen Lemasters had two kills and Taylor Dempewolf scored on a block for the Trojans in the second set.
Coach Maggie Harbison’s squad closed to 18-16 in the third set before falling behind by seven points and trailed 21-20 in the fourth set before Providence closed with four unanswered points.
Center Grove finishes 31-6 and graduates seniors Ellen Lemasters, Dempewolf, Devynn Merriman and Emma Jones.
Roncalli and Lutheran dropped their first-round regional matches.
No. 2 Avon defeated Roncalli in the 4A Greenfield Regional 25-16, 24-26, 25-17, 25-18.
The Rebels’ leaders were: Lauren Fey, 29 assists; Grace Hegwood, 15 kills; Amelia Banister, 16 digs.
The Rebels (25-8) claimed Marion County tourney, Circle City and sectional championships this season. They graduate Fey, Banister, Hannah Irmer and Grace Lawrie.
Lutheran was stunned by Hauser’s comeback in the 1A Regional at Morristown.
The Saints (16-19) fell in the first set 25-20 but recovered to win the next sets 25-23 and 25-16 before No. 7 Hauser rallied. Hauser evened the match with a 25-23 win and then took the final set 15-8.
Lutheran’s leaders were: Dara Milivojak, 22 kills, 28 digs; Taylor Brown, 32 digs; Erin Pasch, 17 kills, 10 digs; Rylee Morris, 14 kills, 15 digs; and Kristen Simons, 57 assists.
Milivojak, Pasch, Simons, Brown, Pasch and Janessa Schaefer are the Saints’ seniors.
(Correspondent Kimmie Kuehr contributed to this article.)