by Gregg Meadows
The 2023 edition of Tri-Valley volleyball got off to a rough start to their season, falling to perennial Mid-Buckeye League power Loudonville in the season opener at home in Dresden on Saturday, August 19 in five sets, then dropped another five-set marathon contest to D-III powerhouse and 2022 final four state runner-up Meadowbrook on Tuesday night, August 22 back at The Dawg House.
In the season opening loss to Loudonville, the visiting Lady Redbirds won the first set 25-20, but the host Lady Dawgs charged back to take the second set 25-14. Loudonville escaped the third set 25-23, but back came the host black-and-gold again, taking the fourth set 24-22 before being nipped 15-13 in the final fifth set.
Iris Lacy led the Lady Dawgs with five blocks, Eva Dittmar had 27 kills and was 100 percent serving (23-23), and Caity Journey had 21 digs for Tri-Valley as well.
Tri-Valley took the junior varsity game 25-19, 26-24 and were led by Cali Berry’s eight points, and also won the freshman game 25-20, 25-10 and were led by Haley Moore’s 14 points.
Tuesday night, August 22 back in Dresden at The Dawg House, the Lady Dawgs had the 2022 D-III state-runnerup Meadowbrook volleyball squad on the ropes, leading two sets to one before the Lady Colts stormed back to take the final two sets 25-20 and 15-11 and head back to Byesville with a hard-earned win.
Statistical leaders for the host Lady Dawgs included: Eva Dittmar (23 kills and 14 digs), Annika Collet (10 kills), Caity Journey (14 digs), Sami Cameron (eight blocks), and Iris Lacy (five blocks).
The Lady Dawgs – under second-year coach Dani Lamonica – return seven letter winners from last year’s 17-7 squad, who beat Newark in the D-I post season tournament opener, but lost to Watkins Memorial in the Sectional title game. The seven returning letter winners are: Sami Cameron, Ingrid Dittmar, Eva Dittmar, Annika Collet, Kenzie Albertson, Caity Journey, and Nora Dunn.
The five seniors who Coach Lamonica will count on for leadership are: Kenzie Albertson, Landyn Andrews, Sami Cameron, Eva Dittmar, and Caity Journey.
Tri-Valley will be looking for their first victory of the 2023 season on Thursday night, August 24, when the Lady Dawgs travel to Maysville. The black-and-gold return to the Dawg House on Tuesday night, August 29 when they host the John Glenn Lady Muskies, then are back on the road on Thursday night, August 31 when they hit the road to battle the Philo Lady Electrics.
