Published: October 29, 2009 10:41 pm      

VOLLEYBALL: New Wash looks to go beyond first round at regional

Three-time sectional champs will attempt to win first regional title since 1998

New Wash looks to get beyond first round at Saturday’s Class A regional

Three-time sectional champs will attempt to win first regional title since 1998

BY GREG MENGELT

greg.mengelt@newsandtribune.com

In last week’s sectional, the New Washington volleyball team accomplished a rare feat.

The Mustangs defeated three teams to whom they had lost in the regular season en route to winning their third straight sectional championship.

Now, New Wash turns its attention to an even bigger feat — winning its first regional crown since 1998.

The Mustangs (19-13), who will play 23-8 Tecumseh in the first round of the Class A regional on Saturday at Barr-Reeve, have lost in the first round of regional each of the past two seasons.

“I think the message now, from the community, is, ‘Hey, this is your third trip over there. Let’s bring home something more than losing in the first round,’” New Washington head coach Gary Graham said.

Graham admits that it won’t be easy. Tecumseh, which Graham called much-improved, features one of the state’s most accomplished players in Julie Roeder.

The Tecumseh senior has 511 kills and is averaging 5.74 kills per set this season.

“They go to her a lot,” Graham said. “They set their team up around that one particular offensive player, even more than we do with (senior) Lindsay Krohn.”

If the Mustangs can get by the Braves, either No. 1 Barr-Reeve (34-0) or No. 4 Springs Valley (29-5) awaits. Barr-Reeve is unbeaten and is the defending regional champions.

“Springs Valley is better than the Springs Valley we played last year,” Graham said of last year’s five-set, first-round loss. “Barr-Reeve is the real deal. I’ve only seen them once, but they look very good. There’s something about being unbeaten that makes a team look really good.

“We’re clearly the underdogs this time. It’s a pretty formidable regional this year. Southern Indiana may be catching up with the north.”

Graham advised media and fans to ignore the teams’ record at Barr-Reeve on Saturday.

“The one thing that we have to rely on a little bit is that we’ve played a better schedule,” Graham said, comparing his team to the other three in the Class A regional. “Let’s hope some of the lumps we took during the season lead to an opportunity this weekend.”



CLASS A BARR-REEVE REGIONAL

• SEMIFINALS: New Washington (19-13) vs. Tecumseh (23-8), 11 a.m.; Barr-Reeve (34-0) vs. Springs Valley (29-5).

• CHAMPIONSHIP: Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.