Troy’s Macie Taylor goes vertical to pass the ball Thursday against Fairmont in Vandalia D-I sectional action.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Ellie Fogarty hits the ball over the Fairmont defense Thursday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy’s Anna Boezi pounds a kill over the Fairmont blockers Thursday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
VANDALIA — It was another outstanding season for the Troy volleyball team.
It just ended too early.
The Trojans, 21-2 and the fourth seed, were surprised by ninth seed Fairmotn, who improved to 14-10 with a 25-17, 12-25, 25-20, 27-25 win in Vandalia D-I action Thursday night.
“We just couldn’t get going at all,” Troy coach Michelle Owen said. “We had a horrible practice on Wednesday and we played really tight. We didn’t serve tough enough and we didn’t put up the blocks we needed to.”
Fairmont jumped out to a 17-8 lead in the opening set and won it 25-19.
Troy answered back in the second set.
Andrea Pregner had three-point service run as Troy opened an 18-10 lead.
Kasey Sager had a kill to put Troy up 21-12 and Morgan Kaiser served out the set, aided by a block from Ellie Fogarty.
Troy jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the third set with two kills by Anna Boezi.
But, Fairmont would quickly counter.
The set was tied at 16, before four straight points by Fairmont.
A serve by Lauren Rice got Troy within 23-19 before the Firebirds finished off the set.
In the fourth set, two points by Fogarty, including a kill by Morgan Kaiser gave Troy a 12-11 lead.
Boezi tied it at 13 with a kill, before Fairmont again gained momentum.
Led by the hitting of Iris Riegel, the Firebirds took a 20-15 lead.
But, Troy would not go down without a fight.
The Trojans scored six of the next seven points to go up 22-21.
Rice had a four-point service run — aided by two Boezi kills — to put Troy up 22-21.
A kill by Kaiser tied it at 24 and a Boezi kill staved off match point and tied it 25-25, before Fairmont scored the next two points to end the match.
“Credit to Fairmont,” Owen said. “They played fearless and definitely prepared for Anna (Boezi). We did not pass well enough consistently to use her where we needed to. Hannah (Duff) really stepped up on the pin to try and give us a little consistency when we needed it.”
Boezi finished with 15 kills, while Kaiser had 10 kills, 13 assists and seven digs.
Fogarty had seven kills, 24 assists and 14 digs and Sager added three blocks.
Macie Taylor led the defense with 25 digs.
Rice had 15 digs and Prenger added 11 digs.
“This is tough, because we never want to end when we are not clicking the way we want,” Owen said.
But, it doesn’t change the fact it was another outstanding season for Troy volleyball.
