Merrimack girls volleyball has just enough to beat Nashua South
It may have been tough at times during Wednesday’s playoff match between the Merrimack and Nashua South girls volleyball teams to tell which team was the higher seed.
MERRIMACK – It may have been tough at times during Wednesday’s playoff match between the Merrimack and Nashua South girls volleyball teams to tell which team was the higher seed.
But when it came down to it, the Tomahawks showed that their postseason experience is going to count for something.
While No. 11 South gave everything it had, it was No. 6 Merrimack that came away with a 3-0 win in the Division I preliminary round that couldn’t have been any closer. Game scores were 25-23, 31-29 and 28-26.
The Tomahawks (14-5) had to rally to win each game, as the Panthers (9-10) had the lead in each, including a 24-21 advantage in the second game, and 24-23 in the third.
But with four players still on the roster from the team that won the D1 title two years ago, and several others who were a part of Merrimack’s semifinalist a year ago, the Tomahawks were able to use some of that experience in crunch time.
“For us, we let things get in our heads and we couldn’t get in a rhythm,” Merrimack coach Tammy Lambrou said. “We couldn’t score more than two in a row, which hurt us. We made a lot of mental mistakes. We needed to use that (experience) to our advantage.”
Elise Jolly led Merrimack with 23 kills, 14 digs, five blocks and three aces while Lacey Addie had five kills and Joanne Bonner added three kills and two blocks. Alli Marino finished with 28 assists.
South got 12 kills and 19 digs from Daria Putsch and Kara Kelliher had 11 kills, 10 digs and two aces. Alexie Dearborn added 13 digs.
“They played well, they played scrappy,” South coach Wayne Siejkowski said. “They missed a couple of opportunities. There were a couple of chances there where I think they got a little rattled, and I’m not used to seeing that from this team.
“We got to a point where, on a couple of those, I think the youth did show. There were points where they didn’t want to make the bad play.”
The Panthers had an early lead in the first game, but Merrimack came back to take control behind the serving of Jolly and Lianna Klinger to lead 23-18. But South kept it close, getting within one, 24-23, before the Tomahawks were able to close it out.
Merrimack jumped out in front in the second game, but South pulled ahead 12-9 before the Tomahawks went back ahead 20-17. With Anna Campbell serving, the Panthers won five straight points to go up 22-20 and stretched it to 24-21.
After a timeout by Merrimack, the teams traded the next seven points until the Tomahawks went up 28-27. South tied it at 29, but two miscues by the Panthers helped Merrimack take the second game.
South took leads of 11-8 and 16-13 in the third game before Merrimack came back to take a 21-19 lead. The Panthers responded and had leads of 24-23 and 25-24, but couldn’t close out the Tomahawks.
“To have two games go extra, in a playoff, you can’t ask for more,” Siejkowski said. “That’s been the story of the season. We were 9-9 but we took it to each team. Every game was decided by a couple of points.”
Merrimack now goes on the road to face No. 3 Dover, which beat No. 14 Nashua North 3-0, in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
