LAWRENCEBURG – With an unbeaten Greensburg squad and Batesville and host Lawrenceburg hovering at or above the 20-win mark, Franklin County volleyball had its work cut out at last week's Sectional 29. The Lady Wildcats acquitted themselves well with a four-set win over Connersville Thursday, followed by a valiant effort Saturday afternoon against eventual champ Greensburg.

FC got the first point in Saturday's second semifinal and went up 3-1 behind a kill and ace by senior Kiersten Schell. But Greensburg – with talent up and down its roster, including standouts Josie Nobbe and 6'4” Ella Chapman – soon had things tied at four. At 5-5, the Pirates continued a six-point run and coach Jill Mergenthal spent a timeout at 10-5.

The pause helped as FC came back to tie the set at 11; junior Kensee Ferman provided the serves and Schell a pair of kills to go with four Pirate errors. This turned out to be FC's final stand of the season, with Greensburg going on a 14-2 run to win the set 25-13 before posting 25-4 and 25-12 finals in the deciding sets.

Set two started ominously for the Wildcats as the Bucs sprinted out to a 15-0 lead behind Nobbe's serving and powerful front line play. FC called timeout at 7-0 but this time the Cats didn't recover. Another TO was called at 18-1 before a closing 7-3 run by the Pirates.

The last set began 4-0 in favor of Greensburg, Nobbe again serving. Schell earned a kill to make it 5-2 but a 7-1 Pirate series led to an FC timeout at 12-3. Trailing 22-5, the Cats found themselves with seven of the last 10 points. Schell added a kill and ace. On match point, a Pirate hit touched the back line for the win.

The match with the Spartans went FC's way through the opening two sets (25-16, 25-22) before CHS gained a 25-21 win in set three and the Wildcats closed things out with a 25-20 win in the fourth set.

After a 1-0 start to the night, the Cats dropped the next six points ahead of a kill and ace by Schell. Down 8-3, FC began climbing back. A Cydney Morehead kill and back-to-back winners by junior Veronica Reeves preceded a Tiffany Billman ace. Ferman and Reeves finishes tied the set at 10.

With Ferman and senior Lauren Stacy serving and points for the Schells – Kiersten and Kassidy – FC led 15-11 and the Spartans needed time.

A 6-2 run for the Cats, with Billman the catalyst and Ka. Schell at the service stripe, led to another Connersville timeout at 21-13. Billman picked up a kill and ace and at 24-16, senior Stephanie Billman served an ace on set point.

Set two also started 1-0 off Ki. Schell's block. The set was tied at points 1-6 and 8, the latter aided by T. Billman's point. FC won five straight points to make it 12-8 and still led 16-13 after Morehead ended a long rally with a kill. CHS took the next three points to tie it, deadlocks following at 17 and 18.

A winner by Ka. Schell made it 21-19 and CHS burned a timeout.

The Spartans fought back for a 22-all tie, followed by a Ki. Schell kill, a Ka. Schell ace and T. Billman's block to an open spot to her left.

Trying to avoid elimination, CHS got off to a 4-0 start in the next set. The lead grew to 9-1 and Mergenthal asked for time. The Spartans won four in a row for a 13-1 advantage. T. Billman then killed a point and served FC within 14-7, the Spartans using a timeout. Billman's ace and a Reeves kill made it 14-10. The Cats battled back to tie the set at 19; Ka. Schell had three kills, Kiersten one to go with an ace and Ferman a kill. CHS claimed the next four points as FC called timeout down 23-19. A Morehead kill staved off one set point, but Connersville got a winning block to force set four.

FC was on fire to start the new set with Ka. Schell serving up four aces, taking the first nine points and prompting a CHS timeout at 8-0. The Spartans had an 8-1 run to force a Wildcat stoppage at 10-8. Ties came at points 10-13 ahead of a Ka. Schell kill. FC went up 18-15 on a “T Bill” kill and Billman served FC ahead 22-19 after CHS had tied it up at 19. Reeves ended the match with a pair of winners.

“I know I've said it before but I continue to be so very proud of this team,” remarked Mergenthal.

Ki. Schell had 10 kills, 20 digs and 2 assists. T. Billman had 3 aces, 7 kills and 7 digs. Ka. Schell added 6 aces, 15 kills, 16 digs and 15 assists.

Ferman posted 4 kills and 13 digs. Reeves had 6 kills and 2 solo blocks. Morehead had 2 digs and 1 assist. Stacy had 15 digs. S. Billman collected 7 digs and 17 assists.   

The program says goodbye to the Schell sisters along with Stacy and Stephanie Billman.

FC finished 16-16.