VERSAILLES — It was a fitting conclusion to the regular season for the Versailles Lady Tigers volleyball team Thursday evening, as the team honored its four seniors with a 3-1 victory over Marion Local, extending its winning streak to five matches and building momentum heading into postseason play.
The Lady Tigers defeated the Flyers 25-20, 25-16, 21-25 and 25-20, finishing the regular season with a 16-6 overall record and a 7-2 mark in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
While the evening celebrated seniors Kiley May, Hannah Luthman, Jalyn McEldowney and Salimah Shardo, it was also a showcase of the experience and leadership that have helped guide Versailles throughout the season.
May delivered a dominant performance in her final regular-season match, recording a match-high 28 kills on 48 attempts with an impressive .438 hitting percentage. She also contributed 20 digs, four block assists and three service aces, finishing the evening as one of the Lady Tigers’ most impactful players on both sides of the net.
Luthman provided a strong presence at the net, leading Versailles with six block assists while adding four kills and a service ace. McEldowney contributed 10 digs in the back row, while Shardo added four service points and a kill.
The seniors helped set the tone early, with Versailles taking control of the opening set after breaking a 12-12 tie with three consecutive points. The Lady Tigers maintained their advantage and closed out the first set, 25-20.
Versailles carried that energy into the second set, using strong serving and defensive play to jump ahead early. Freshman Reagan Raterman and junior Allie Wietholter helped establish the early advantage from the service line as the Lady Tigers rolled to a 25-16 victory and a commanding two-set lead.
Marion Local refused to go quietly, however, taking advantage of Versailles errors to build an early lead in the third set. The Flyers pushed their advantage to as many as 10 points before the Lady Tigers mounted a comeback, cutting the deficit to 21-17. Despite the late rally, Marion Local held on for a 25-21 win to extend the match.
Versailles responded in the fourth set, returning to the aggressive style of play that had carried the team through the opening two sets. The teams battled through a tightly contested set before the Lady Tigers began to pull away late. Versailles built a 23-18 advantage and eventually sealed the victory with a block at the net, winning 25-20.
Head coach Liz McNeilan credited her team’s ability to regain its aggressive approach after allowing Marion Local back into the match.
“We came out hot in sets one and two. Then we had some hitting errors and and then we started playing what I would call soft. We weren’t as aggressive,” McNeilan said. “At the end of the third set and then the fourth set, we took care of business again.”
Beyond May’s impressive offensive performance, Versailles received contributions throughout its lineup. Sophomore Allison Bergman finished with 10 kills on 22 attempts, posting a .364 hitting percentage. Wietholter added six kills, four service aces, 11 service points and three block assists.
Junior Sophie Stammen anchored the back-row defense with a team-high 23 digs, while junior Rowan Schmitmeyer added 10 digs, three kills, three service aces and three block assists. Raterman contributed nine digs and seven service points.
As a team, Versailles recorded 54 kills, 47 assists, 83 digs, 11 service aces and nine total blocks, demonstrating the balanced effort that has helped the Lady Tigers find their rhythm late in the season.
For McNeilan, the evening was about more than another victory. It was an opportunity to recognize four seniors who have contributed to the program in different ways throughout their careers.
May’s four years of varsity experience, Luthman’s versatility across multiple positions, McEldowney’s development in the back row and Shardo’s willingness to fill different roles have each helped shape the team’s identity.
McNeilan praised May’s work ethic and humility, recalling how much she has developed since first stepping onto the varsity court as a freshman.
“She’s the first one in the gym and the last one to leave. Asking all the questions and doing all the right things. Even more than a player, that makes Kiley who Kiley is,” McNeilan said.
With the regular season now complete, Versailles turns its attention to the Division V postseason, where the Lady Tigers have earned the No. 1 seed.
Versailles will open tournament play against No. 15 seed Carlisle on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m. at Troy High School.
The Lady Tigers enter the tournament riding a five-match winning streak, hoping their late-season momentum and senior leadership can translate into an extended postseason run.
“Tournament time is always fun. Tournament time brings a whole new adventure,” McNeilan said. “But tournament time presents all kinds of different fun, different strategy and a whole new level of game play.”
