<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1flVYZ_0vjCEZOI00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1flVYZ_0vjCEZOI00" width="1764" height="1175" ><figcaption>Battle Creek's Sophie Humphrey goes for a kill attempt in the second set of the Bravettes' contest with Scotus on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>BATTLE CREEK - Down 2-1 heading into the fourth set, Battle Creek knew they needed their playmakers to step up even more if they wanted to force a fifth set against Columbus Scotus.The Bravettes did both, as Sami Wemhoff and Sophie Humphrey led a dominat fourth set performance to force set five before the Shamrocks came out with a 25-21, 25-27, 26-24, 15-25, 15-13 win."I'm proud of our girls and their effort," head coach Cody Wintz said afterwards. "Obviously you can go back and look at some things we didn't do as well, but we played a tough opponent really tight. Sometimes the ball doesn't bounce your way a few points and it does for the other team, but that's just volleyball."The play of Humphrey and Wemhoff was crucial for Battle Creek, as the senior duo smoked numerous kills within the fourth set, but also the second to help erase set defecits of 1-0 and 2-1.Outside of Humphrey and Wemhoff, senior Ella Reeves and junior Jaidyn Smutney stepped up mightily in the fourth set, powering a Bravette defense that dug numerous kill attempts and never let Scotus establish much offensive production."They were able to read their htters well as the game went on," Wintz said. "They were able to make small adjustments that put themsleves in postion to get touches, with some of those being exceptional digs right to the pocket where we were able to get a transition offense going. So that really helped us out."Heading into the final set, both teams traded points early before the Bravettes were able to go on a little run and take an 8-5 lead.Following a Scotus timeout, the Shamrocks went on a 3-1 run themselves before a Jaydn Buckendahl kill gave Battle Creek a 10-8 lead and forced Scotus to call their final timeout of the set.That timeout proved effecient, as the Shamrocks were able to go on a 4-0 run and take a 12-10 lead in the set before a Scotus block out of bounds and a Wemhoff/Jaid Wehrle block tied it up again at 12.In the race to three, it was Scotus who struck first, grabbing the first two points before Wemhoff gets a tip shot kill to pull within one. However, those would be the final points of the contest, as a Scotus block back would seal the 15-13 set five win and the match three sets to two."I really like where were at as a team," Wintz said. "Our last three games have been against really tough opponents, going 1-2 in those games, but we know we can win any type of contests now. I think that gives our girls a little more belief and hope even though we didn't come out with the win tonight."</div></body>

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Bravettes drop five-set marathon to Columbus Scotus

BATTLE CREEK - Down 2-1 heading into the fourth set, Battle Creek knew they needed their playmakers to step up even more if they wanted to force a fifth set against Columbus Scotus. The Bravettes did both, as Sami Wemhoff and Sophie Humphrey led a dominat fourth set performance to...