Lakota West topples Lakota East for district title

Firebirds avenge regular season loss to Thunderhawks

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By John Boyle, Staff Writer 12:34 AM Sunday, October 30, 2011

LEBANON — The postseason is a new season.

The Lakota West High School volleyball team has taken that to heart.

The Firebirds swept district rival Lakota East — a team that dominated them during a 3-0 regular-season loss — 25-23, 25-23, 26-24 on Saturday to win their second straight Division I district title.

“We just came into this game ready to go,” West senior libero Mel Stewart said. “We knew that they already beat us once this season so we came out with nothing to lose and played our hearts out. I’m so proud of each and every one of the girls on this team. We left everything we had out there on the court.”

West (18-7) advances to face Mount Notre Dame in the regional semifinals at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City. It’s the Firebirds fifth trip to regionals in the last seven seasons.

“They are a very good team,” Kornau said of Lakota East. If we play them 10 times, we win once and today was that once.

“East is clearly the better team, but when East and West play, you never know what’s going to happen. It’s the rivalry. Throw out the records. It doesn’t matter who has more talent.”

It was the second straight season the Thunderhawks (22-2) have been eliminated from the postseason by the Firebirds. Last season West beat East in the regional semis.

Saturday was particularly disappointing for East, which came into the match riding a 20-game winning streak. The Greater Miami Conference champions were ranked fourth in the final state coaches poll of the season. West was 19th.

“It’s very disappointing,” East coach Casie Garland said. “I thought we’d come out better, but big props to West. They played great. They pretty much played flawless. Their defense was pretty impressive.”

Annie Bierman totaled 12 kills and three blocks, Corri Muha and Mandy Stanislovaitis had 10 kills apiece and Alli Muha had 26 assists to pace the Firebirds.

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