Tall lineup leads way for Hinckley-Big Rock

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It was a battle of opposites on Thursday in Sandwich.

Hinckley-Big Rock, with a much taller lineup, faced the Lady Indians whose school has more than twice as many students.

Because of the height difference and better all-around play, the Royals defeated Sandwich in two games, 25-18 and 25-20.

With a front wall that could average nearly six feet tall, H-BR used Melissa Herrmann, Jenna Thorp, and Cassie Kroner to wear down Sandwich.

"In the first game, we were all really pumped going in because they're a bigger school and we're a smaller one," said Kroner. "We were pumped to see how well we could do."

Kroner had two big hits to get the Royals (10-8-2) out to a 10-4 advantage, but Jordan Ramos (5 kills, 7 digs, 3 assists) did her best to bring her team back. She had two spikes and served six consecutive points to give Sandwich only a brief 13-12 lead.

Heather Weissinger led the Royals back with seven straight service points as H-BR took control at 22-14.

Thorp, who led the Royals in kills, and Kroner hit three winners between them to end the first game for Hinckley-Big Rock. Ramos and Sarah Crothers (4 kills) fought to keep the Indians close.

"We seemed to be in every position where they were going to hit the ball," said Thorp. "Instead of running all over, we were able to pass it right to our setter and the setter made good passes. Our hitters were hitting pretty well."

The second game was more exciting as Sandwich rallied twice from seven-point deficits.

Sarah Weirich (team leader in blocks) and Herrmann each had a kill and a block and Cassie Rickert added a block to put H-BR up at 14-7 and 18-11.

Behind Taylor Anderson (7 kills), Sam Leigh, and Ramos, the Indians came back both times, and when Anderson served an ace, Sandwich (6-13) had sliced it to 21-20.

The comeback ended there, however, as H-BR then scored four in a row to take the match. Herrmann had an ace, and Kroner hit one to the back line that could not be returned during the last rally.

"Earlier in the season, we were only single blocking, and we changed our whole defense," said Royals' coach Don Watson. "We put a double block in the middle, and since we've done that, I don't think we've lost a match.

"We had some big girls that were just beating us by going around our single block. Also, my setter was one of my stronger hitters, so we changed it up so that when she got to the front row, we let her hit." Volleyball: H-BR Def. Sandwich 25-18, 25-20