Senior staff writer
All Center Grove’s young volleyball team wanted to do in the Greenwood Sectional was to relax and have fun.
That was the mindset of the Trojans last week when they took to the court for three sectional contests, per the team’s Macy Carrabine.
“We just wanted to chill,” said the 5-11 outside hitter who scored the winning match point Thursday against senior-laden Franklin Central 25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19. “The first set was tense, but then we began to relax. We just had to play Trojan volleyball.”
The Class 4A No. 6 Trojans, one of three Southside teams to earn sectional championships, went on to sweep Whiteland and upend rival Franklin for the third time this season, 25-17, 25-12, 20-25, 25-23.
Against Greenwood, Carrabine had 16 kills and 12 digs, junior Ellen LeMasters led with 19 kills and freshman setter Madison Hammill recorded 43 assists in the title match.
Carrabine is the only senior on the Trojans’ team, which features four freshmen starters, Hammil, 5-10 Anna Line, 6-0 Calista Stafford and 5-10 Lindsey Howard. Freshman defensive specialist Ashley Eck came off the bench for impressive digs. Stafford and Howard filled in for two injured starters.
“The freshmen? They’re playing great,” Trojans’ first-year coach Maggie Harbison said. “I’m really impressed.”
Carrabine, LeMasters and 5-6 junior libero Devynn Merriman were solid throughout the tourney.
Against Franklin Central, Carrabine came up with 10 kills, and LeMasters had 16 kills and two blocks with many of her kills coming from the back row. Carrabine’s ninth kill lifted the Trojans to a commanding 2015 lead after a long volley in the fourth set.