Not A Repeat, But A Repeat: Lady Mules Knock Off NCOE For Title
For the fifth straight year, Chet Snyder’s Fairfield Lady Mules and Jaclyn Melton’s NCOE Lady Cardinals met in the championship of the Fairfield Kickoff Classic, and for the fourth time in those five meetings, the host Mule gals came out victorious Saturday, winning the championship match, 25-21, 25-20.
Fairfield went 5-0 on the day, including straight set wins in four of those five matches. That moved Snyder’s squad to 6-0 on the year.
The Lady Mules mowed through Mt. Vernon and Christopher before getting a challenge from Robinson in pool play. The Maroons were the only team to push Fairfield to three sets on the day.
“We had to fight through some adversity there. We played really clean against Robinson in the first set and won 25-7. Then we were in desperation mode the other two sets. We had to fight for that 15-13 win in the third set.”
That set up bracket play in the gold flight, with Fairfield meeting North Posey, Ind., in one semifinal. They were pushed again, but survived, with a 25-19, 25-23 win. NCOE had to go three with Newton in the other semifinal to set up the anticipated rematch between the 1A and 2A powerhouse rivals.
Emersyn Robbins had double digit kills in all five matches and was named the tournament MVP, while she was joined by fellow seniors Rylee Edwards and Mabry Ellis on the all-tournament team.
Robbins had 81 kills on the day, saving her most prolific work for the final two matches. She had 20 kills against the Lady Vikings in the semifinals, and then 23 against NCOE.
Her sheer will proved to be the difference in the first set of the championship. NCOE led 19-15 before Robbins put down kills for eight of the final 12 points between the two teams. It was safe to say she took over.
In the second set, NCOE was again close throughout, trailing just 20-19 before Fairfield scored five of the last six points to claim the championship.
Ellis led the defense with 56 digs in five matches, reaching double digits in each of the final three matches. Edwards combined 30 kills with 57 assists, playing a hybrid role in a 6-2 offense.
NCOE was the defending champions, after ending a three-year run by Fairfield last year.
“It is kind of crazy that is always us and them. For a small school like to NCOE to graduate a class like they had and come back and be so good again this year is impressive,” Snyder said. “Their sophomore class is so talented and then you throw Hinsley (Everett) in the mix and they are very good.”
Despite the 5-0 day, Sndyer saw some things that still need worked on.
“We have to get reps, work on the connections and the timing. We did not run the quick stuff like we wanted to. Serve receive, we did not get aced one time by North Posey, then in the championship we got fatigued and aced a few times. We will keep working,” he concluded.
Fairfield def. Mt. Vernon
25-12, 25-8
Kills-Attacks-Errors—Emersyn Robbins 10-17-1, Rylee Edwards, F, 7-12-1, Gracie Atwood 5-6, Lainie Clark 3-7-2, Ava Best 1-1, Kenzie Turner 1-1, Total 27-47-4.
Serving—Cori Sutton 12-14, Best 12-12, Edwards 8-8, Clark 4-5, Mabry Ellis 4-5, Robbins 2-3, Myra Copeland 1-2.
Aces—Sutton 2, Edwards 1, Clark 1, Ellis 1.
Digs—Robbins 5, Ellis 5, Sutton 4, Edwards 3, Best 1.
Assists—Best 12, Edwards 10.
Fairfield def. Christopher
25-8, 25-19
Kills-Attacks-Errors—Robbins 10-13-2, Edwards 6-9, Atwood 4-9-3, Turner 2-2, Clark 1-3-1, Ellis 1-1, Libbee Cline 0-1, Total 24-42-6.
Serving—Best 18-19, Ellis 7-8, Clark 6-7, Robbins 6-6, Edwards 4-6, Sutton 3-4, Total 44-50.
Aces—Best 3, Clark 2, Edwards 1.
Digs—Edwards 5, Ellis 4, Robbins 3, Sutton 2, Clark 2, Turner 2, Copeland 1.
Assists—Edwards 10, Best 8, Ellis 1.
Fairfield def. Robinson
25-7, 24-26, 15-13
Kills-Attacks-Errors—Robbins 18-49-6, Edwards 8-16, Turner 3-7-1, Best 2-10, Atwood 1-5, Clark 0-5-2, Total 33-92-9.
Serving—Ellis 17-17, Sutton 13-14, Edwards 10-12, Best 6-6, Robbins 6-6, Clark 5-5, Total 57-60.
Aces—Ellis 3, Sutton 2, Best 1, Robbins 1.
Digs—Ellis 16, Robbins 11, Edwards 8, Sutton 7, Best 6, Atwood 2, Clark 2, Turner 2.
Assists—Best 16, Edwards 10, Ellis 2.
Fairfield def. North Posey
25-19, 25-23
Kills-Attacks-Errors—Robbins 20-41-3, Edwards 6-12-2, Turner 1-7-1, Clark 1-2-1, Best 1-7-1, Cline 1-1, Atwood 0-8-2, Total 30-78-10.
Serving—Sutton 10-12, Clark 9-9, Edwards 7-8, Ellis 7-8, Best 5-6, Robbins 5-5, Total 43-48.
Aces—Sutton 1, Clark 1, Edwards 1, Robbins 1.
Digs—Edwards 16, Ellis 14, Robbins 13, Sutton 10, Best 6, Atwood 3, Turner 2, Clark 2, Cline 1.
Assists—Best 15, Edwards 10, Sutton 2, Ellis 1.
Fairfield def. NCOE
25-23, 25-19
Kills-Attacks-Errors—Robbins 23-40-1, Edwards 4-10-3, Turner 2-5-1, Atwood 2-6-1, Clark 0-2-2, Total 31-63-8.
Serving—Edwards 12-12, Sutton 10-11, Clark 8-8, Robbins 4-6, Ellis 4-6, Best 4-5, Total 42-48.
Aces—Edwards 1.
Digs—Ellis 17, Robbins 12, Edwards 8, Best 4, Clark 3, Atwood 3, Sutton 1, Turner 1.
Assists—Edwards 17, Best 10.
Fairfield Kickoff Classic
Fairfield def. Mt. Vernon 25-12, 25-8
Fairfield def. Christopher, 25-8, 25-18
Christopher def. Mt. Vernon, 24-26, 25-17, 15-7
Fairfield def. Robinson 25-7, 24-26, 15-13
Robinson def. Christopher 25-17, 25-18
Robinson def. Mt. Vernon, 25-17, 25-16
North Posey def. Mt. Carmel, 25-19, 25-17
North Posey def. Oblong, 25-13, 25-16
North Posey def. Carbondale, 25-20, 25-15
Mt. Carmel def. Oblong, 25-17, 25-23
Mt. Carmel def. Carbondale, 25-20, 25-22
Carbondale def. Oblong, 25-23, 21-25, 15-11
NCOE def. Cisne, 25-20, 25-10
NCOE def. Lawrenceville, 25-16, 25-14
NCOE def. Teutopolis, 25-19, 25-12
Teutopolis def. Cisne, 22-25, 26-24, 15-9
Teutopolis def. Lawrenceville
Lawrenceville def. Cisne, 25-13, 22-25, 15-10
Newton def. North Clay, 25-17, 25-13
Newton def. Gallatin Co., 25-15, 25-14
Newton def. Chester, 25-12, 21-25, 15-8
North Clay def. Gallatin Co., 25-8, 25-19
North Clay def. Chester, 25-21, 25-22
Chester def. Gallatin Co., 25-20, 25-19
Oblong def. Mt. Vernon, 25-20, 20-25, 15-6
Cisne def. Gallatin Co., 25-20, 25-17
Mt. Vernon def. Gallatin Co., 25-15, 25-11
Cisne def. Oblong, 25-23, 25-18 (13th place)
Carbondale def. Christopher, 25-15, 25-16
Chester def. Lawrenceville, 25-23, 15-25, 15-8
Lawrenceville def. Christopher, 15-25, 25-16, 15-2
Chester def. Carbondale, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13 (ninth place)
Mt. Carmel def. Robinson, 27-29, 25-22, 15-10
North Clay def. Teutopolis, 25-21, 25-23
Robinson def. Teutopolis
North Clay def. Mt. Carmel (fifth place)
Fairfield def. North Posey, 25-19, 25-23
NCOE def. Newton, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12
North Posey def. Newton, 25-18, 25-17 (third place)
Fairfield def. NCOE, 25-21, 25-20 (championship)
All-Tournament Team
Emersyn Robbins, Fairfield (MVP)
Hinsley Everett, NCOE
Rylee Edwards, Fairfield
Mabry Ellis, Fairfield
Jaydee Melton, NCOE
Addie Fullop, North Posey
Halle Gower, Robinson
Siri Fullop, North Posey
Brooke Shafer, Newton
Kathryn Blake, Mt. Carmel
Morgan Hance, North Clay
Averie Summerlin, Carbondale
Amiah Hargrove, Christopher
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