Watervliet Press Box

Volleyball bows out in regional finals

The Watervliet Panther varsity volleyball team made another impressive playoff run this season, dominating all the way to the regional finals again. Once there they faced a formidable foe in the defending Division 3 state champs who haven’t lost a step since they won their title in 2022.

INAUGURAL SEASON… Watervliet Middle School boys soccer team played nine matches this fall, with a 7-1-1 record in their inaugural season. Shown are: (from the left) Front - Blaine Bishop (1), Anthony Halfacre (15), Gabriel Martinez (2), Luis “Tony” Hernandez (3); Middle - Landon Wolford (18), Gilberto “Luis” Villegas (17), Tony Perez (8), Colt Mattner (13), Sam Casiano (10 - Captain), JT Isbrecht (6 - Captain), Edvin Hernandez (14), Brady Pullins (12); Back - Coach Valentin Casiano, Daniel Perez (16), Cyrus Scott (22), Connor Van Lente (11), Sam Roland (5), Jayden Brassard (7), Marcus Liberto-Taylor (21), Gavin Downey (9), Ethan Westfall (4 - Captain), Coach Abel Villarreal. (Photo courtesy of A&A Sports Photography)

The Panthers began the regional tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 7 with a resounding 3-0 win over Muskegon’s Western Michigan Christian (WMC), ironically one of the smallest schools in D3. The Panthers first faced the Warriors in the 2021 D3 quarterfinals and were looking to even the score.

Watervliet opened the match in full control as they quickly took a 16-6 lead in game 1, barely making one position rotation to that point. WMC fought back as the Panthers had a few mis-hits but the Panthers closed out the game with their great defense and solid attacks, winning 25-21. The Warriors had two big hitters who were able to place their shots well but the Lady Panthers defended enough of them and then made the Warriors work for good sets and attacks.

REGIONAL ACTION… Sue Weckwerth sends the ball over the net while Anya Sexton and Grace Chisek (5) prepare for a possible return. The Panthers played in their third consecutive regional finals and fell to the defending state champion Pewamo-Westphalia at Fennville on Thursday, Nov. 9. (TCR photo by John Oliphant)

Game two saw the two teams play evenly early as WMC took their first lead of the match at 8-6. Panther Coach Edie Daugherty took a time out and the Panthers regrouped to take a 14-11 lead and then extended that to 22-16 before winning 25-16. Sue Weckwerth had several big kills in the middle of the match, being set up by all-state setter Grace Chisek.

Watervliet has had some challenges closing out matches when leading 2-0 and this one was no different. With the Panthers leading 13-10 the Warriors fought back to take an 18-16 lead. Watervliet tied the game at 21 then got the advantage on some close calls to go ahead 24-22. After a Warriors time out Natalie Hart made a good serve and Grace Chisek made a perfect tip to an empty spot on the WMC side to close the match and earn their third consecutive trip to the regional finals.

The regional final is a great place to be because it means you’re one of the last 16 teams playing. Panther teams have only gone this deep a handful of times and it means some very strong volleyball will be played. Watervliet has faced good Kalamazoo Christian teams in the previous two regional finals, winning in 2021 and barely missing last season as KC went all the way to the finals.

PROUD TO BE PANTHERS… Tia Caldwell gets one of her many digs in the regional finals last week against Pewamo-Westphalia. Watervliet Lady Panthers varsity volleyball team played great and scrappy defense but the defending Division 3 champions were ultimately too much to handle as the Panthers 2023 season came to an end in Fennville. (TCR photo by John Oliphant)

This year the draw was Pewamo Westphalia. PW is smaller than Watervliet and draws students from the greater Lansing area. They’ve won several state championships over the last decade in several sports, including football and both boys and girls basketball, and they beat Kalamazoo Christian for the volleyball title last season. They didn’t lose anything from that championship team heading into this season and they’ve been ranked near the top of D3, boasting a 49-2-2 record coming into their match last Thursday.

The Lady Panthers would need to play perfect volleyball to stay in this match then get lots of luck and breaks to have a chance at a victory. They didn’t play perfect volleyball but they still gave PW plenty to handle with their scrappy defense and well played attacks. The PW defense was very good too, and they have one of the few setters at the same level as Chisek, albeit eight inches taller. Add to that some outstanding and athletic attackers who jump a mile high, hit the ball with a boom, can block very well, and you know you’re in for a tough match.

The Panthers got hit by all that talent early as the Pirates took a 12-7 lead, but Watervliet fought to tie it up at 13. From there the Pirates took control to win 25-18. The second game was all Pirates as they staked a 10-5 lead and eventually won 25-16.

Game three went back and forth as the Panthers took a 10-7 lead, extending that to 15-10 before the Pirates recovered to tie at 17. PW closed the match with a 25-21 win.

Pewamo-Westphalia moves on to face Kalamazoo Christian in a repeat of last year’s D3 championship match. The winner of that match takes on either Monroe St. Mary’s or Plymouth Christian for a slot in the finals.

In final thoughts, this team graduated plenty of talent last year and faced an immense amount of adversity before the season began. They never wavered when they lost an early match to South Haven, tied Constantine, and lost decisively to Kalamazoo Christian. Once at almost full strength they started to play like a very good team. Give credit to these young ladies who played selflessly and fearlessly, there’s little quite like a volleyball being pounded straight at your face, and they handled it every time. Also give a big bunch of credit to head coach, Edie Daugherty and assistant Lori Pline who kept them balanced and confident all season. That was fun!