The conference title was on the line when the Miami Trace High School volleyball team hosted Chillicothe Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Miami Trace entered the match with a record of 8-0 in the Frontier Athletic Conference.
Chillicothe was 7-1, its only loss coming previously to Miami Trace.
The third place team, Jackson, was 4-4 prior to their match Tuesday.
Miami Trace won the match, three sets to none, in the process clinching the outright FAC championship for 2022.
It is the third FAC title in six FAC seasons for Miami Trace.
Miami Trace tied with Chillicothe in 2019.
The Panthers won the outright FAC title in 2020 and finished second in 2021.
Scores of the sets were 25-16, 25-13 and 25-23.
“This senior class has won three championships in four years,” Miami Trace head coach Doug Mace said. “That’s pretty awesome. I’m very proud of the girls, especially our seniors. For our seniors to win a championship, it’s always special.
“Both teams were playing for a championship,” Mace said. “They had a lot on the line, too. We didn’t get too shook up on our errors. It was neat to watch them play and come back in that third game.
“For us to battle back and never lose our composure and keep playing, that was really nice to see,” Mace said. “A lot of credit goes to our seniors. And we have four younger kids who are playing a good bit for us. They stood up to the pressure of a big match like this and they played well, too.
“We’re just really happy right now,” Mace said.
The first set was tied four times, with Miami Trace never trailing.
In the second set, the score was tied five times.
Chillicothe led early by two points and last held a lead at 5-4.
Momentum soon went back to Miami Trace for the 12-point win.
The third set was much closer, with the score tied 14 times.
Chillicothe led, 17-16 at one point.
From there, the Cavaliers led all the way out to 22-21, its biggest lead being three points at 19-16.
The Panthers tied the set, 22-22. From there, Miami Trace held a lead it would not relinquish, taking the set and the match, 25-23.
Statistically for Miami Trace, Addyson Butts led with 17 kills. She also had two ace serves.
Courtney Carter had eight kills and four ace serves.
Sophia Parsons had eight kills; Gracey Ferguson had 36 set assists, five kills and one block; Sara Dawson had two kills; Mary Pfeifer had two ace serves one kill and Lauren Farrens had one kill.
Miami Trace (15-4 overall, 9-0 FAC) will honor its seven seniors prior to hosting Washington Thursday night.
The Miami Trace seniors are Averey Cockerill, Sara Dawson, Sophia Parsons, Mary Pfeifer, Courtney Carter, McKinley Kelley and Gracey Ferguson.
Chillicothe won the freshman match in three sets; 16-25, 25-21 and 25-23.
The Miami Trace freshman team completes its season with a record of 3-2.
Chillicothe won the j-v match, 25-18, 23-25, 25-17.
