SMALL SCHOOLS: Lipkowitz fills gaps, leads The Meadows to 2A Southern League title

With one of her top players sidelined by an injury, The Meadows girls volleyball coach Stephanie Heller needed someone to step up and fill the void Saturday.

Senior outside hitter Jackie Lipkowitz was happy to oblige, as she logged 17 kills, eight digs and three aces in leading the Mustangs to a 25-19, 25-11, 28-26 victory over Lake Mead in the title game of the Class 2A Southern League championships at The Meadows.

The win lifted the Mustangs into the state tournament, where they will play as the No. 1 seed against Whittell in a 3 p.m. match Friday at Bishop Manogue.

The Eagles also advanced to the state tournament, and will play Yerington on Friday at 4:40.

“I found out on Tuesday that (team blocks and kills leader) Kathryn Chakmak was not going to be playing,” Heller said. “She injured her hand in a fluke accident.”

But Lipkowitz put her coach’s nerves to rest in a hurry, recording four consecutive kills to start the first game and helping The Meadows grab a 1-0 lead.

“Kathryn’s got a broken hand, so I knew we would all have to work harder tonight,” said Lipkowitz, whose team defeated Lincoln County 3-1 in the semifinals Saturday afternoon to advance to the championship match. “I know it pushed me to work harder than I’ve ever worked before.”

The Mustangs also got some help from Calvary Chapel, which lost a grueling five-game match to Lake Mead in the semifinals.

“That was a break for us,” said Heller, whose squad was able to rest for two hours while the Eagles were rallying from an 0-2 deficit on the court. “We warmed up in the other gym, then came over to watch the end of that match. It gave us a chance to see what they were doing offensively.”

Lake Mead came out lethargic to start the second game, and The Meadows took advantage by cruising to a two-game lead.

But Heather Hillenbrand willed the Eagles to a near comeback in the third game, pushing it to game-point at 24-23, and again at 26-25.

Back-to-back hitting errors, however, cost Lake Mead the lead, and the Mustangs were able to begin celebrating when Tessa McQuillan’s kill attempt went into the net.

Heller said she was not surprised to see her team fight back.

“We play situational games where we’re down four, five or six points,” she said. “We practice that.”

Alex Hall helped the Meadows with 16 kills and 15 digs. Teammate Vanessa Hall added 32 assists and seven digs.

Ashley Newton had 17 kills and three blocks to lead Lake Mead, and Hillenbrand added nine kills.

 

Pahranagat Valley’s girls volleyball team lost to Tonopah in its sixth match of the season.

Halie Lewis made sure the Panthers took it back.

Lewis had 10 kills Saturday to lead defending state champion Pahranagat Valley to the Class 1A Southern League title with a 25-14, 25-18, 25-15 sweep of the Muckers at Sunrise Mountain. Both teams advanced to next week’s state tournament in Reno.

“They beat us in preseason. We didn’t want to give them another game,” said Lewis, whose team also beat Tonopah (31-6) in league play.

Dakota Day got the Panthers (22-7) off to a fast start, posting four kills and three blocks in the opening set. Day finished with seven kills, four blocks and three aces.

Pahranagat Valley added a state trophy to the case in Alamo last year but missed the 1A Southern League title with a loss to Lake Mead in the final match. Day mentioned the trip to state as the No. 2 seed was fun, but getting the trophy was a nice touch for her senior year.

“As seniors, we don’t want to let down, and we don’t want to lose,” she added. “We just work our hardest and leave everything on the floor.”

The Muckers started to come back in the second setby taking a 12-10 lead, but Pahranagat Valley senior setter Ciera Smallwood served two aces during nine straight trips to the service line to help the Panthers pull away. Smallwood finished with seven assists, and freshman Kimberly Lewis logged 16 assists for Pahranagat Valley.

Britney Klapper led Tonopah with 14 assists and two aces, and Sam Kimber added five kills. Amanda O’Donnell supplied four kills for the Muckers.

Last year’s 1A state final was a rematch of the Southern League title match, and Halie Lewis hopes this year will be the same.

“I know Tonopah will be back, ready to play us in state,” Lewis said. “They’re that kind of team.”

Pahranagat Valley 3, Lund 0 —  Lewis had 11 kills and six aces to help the Panthers rout the Mustangs, 25-7, 25-9, 25-16.

Smallwood dished out 11 assists, and Day posted 11 kills and four blocks.

Melynda Boren had three kills and two aces for Lund (7-9).

Tonopah 3, Beatty 0 — Kimber posted 15 kills and two blocks as the Muckers swept the Hornets, 25-13, 25-9, 25-21.

Deanna Van Poucke added 11 kills and two aces for Tonopah, which got 25 assists from Klapper.

Kaitlin Ulrich led Beatty (16-14) with four assists and three blocks, and teammate Alyssa Regalado added four kills.