Huskies outlast Redskins in 5-set volleyball thriller
Harrison Central rallies behind clutch play from Hannah and Leah Grady to secure one of season’s top wins
Mik Pelegreen #11 as she sets the ball to add the final point of the match.
Ed Banks
In a methodical and physical approach, the Harrison Central Lady Huskies varsity volleyball team dismantled a determined, win-hungry Indian Creek Lady Redskins squad. The Thursday, Sept. 4 match had all the excitement of a heavyweight fight, as it needed five sets to determine the winner. Multiple timeouts from both coaches proved productive in setting the stage for one of Harrison Central’s best performances of the season.
The opening set saw Harrison fall behind by five points early, but a rally of eight unanswered points swung the momentum. That surge gave the Huskies an 8-5 lead and confidence that they could match Creek’s pace. The set remained close, with ties at 10-10, 13-13 and 14-14, before the guests pulled away to take it 25-20.
In the second set, the teams traded points until Harrison grabbed a 9-8 lead and never looked back. Chasing down balls and capitalizing on Creek’s mistakes, the Huskies cruised to a 25-16 win.
The Redskins regrouped in the third, attacking with hard-hit volleys and keeping Harrison off balance. Coach Grace Godish used timeouts strategically to slow Creek’s runs, but the visitors strung together a four-point burst late to claim the set 25-21.
Set four was the turning point. After ties at nearly every point from 16 to 25, Harrison delivered a clutch push. The Huskies took a 26-25 lead before putting away the winner for a 27-25 victory, forcing a deciding set.
The fifth set began with ties at 8-8 and 10-10. With the score 13-12, Godish called a timeout. Whatever was said worked—Harrison scored the next two points to seal the match.
Every Husky contributed to the win. Leading the way, Hannah Grady posted eight aces, 20 points, nine kills, 22 assists and 12 digs. Her sister, Leah Grady, added five aces, 13 points, 12 kills, 11 assists and nine digs. Mik Pelegreen recorded five aces, 11 points, two kills, four assists and 18 digs. Emma Jarvis chipped in two aces, five points, five kills and 11 digs, while Ava Conley tallied five kills, two blocks and two digs.
