Loogootee Jr-Sr High School

Friday night’s matchup between Loogootee and Barr-Reeve was about more than one of the area’s biggest rivalries. The two programs came together for “Rivalry with a Purpose,” using a packed night of volleyball to support members of their local communities facing health challenges. Barr-Reeve played in support of Shirley Gerkin, while Loogootee played for Linda Nolan and Julie Diamond, the late mother of Lady Lion senior Alaina Diamond. Both programs were able to raise money while bringing awareness to the health challenges represented throughout the evening. With a large crowd continuing to fill the gym, the JV teams provided an exciting opening act. Barr-Reeve ultimately earned the two-set victory, 30-28, 25-20, but not before the Lady Lions produced a memorable comeback in the opener. Loogootee trailed 22-14 before sophomore libero Haylo Harmon took over at the service line. Harmon delivered multiple aces during an 8-1 stretch, while Kensleigh Carrico contributed a block and later a kill off a Fara Fisher bump set. Harmon’s third ace of the rally completed the comeback and tied the set at 22. The rivals traded punches from there. Brylee Bateman put down a kill to give Loogootee its first lead of the night at 24-23, and the Lady Lions earned several opportunities at set point. Carrico answered with a kill to tie it at 25, and Loogootee led for the final time at 27-26 before Barr-Reeve battled back to take an extended 30-28 victory. The Lady Vikings built another sizable advantage in the second, but once again the Lady Lions made a late push. Fisher served during a 6-0 Loogootee run highlighted by kills from Carrico and Abby Rollins, cutting what had been a nine-point deficit down to two before Barr-Reeve closed out the match 25-20. Carrico finished with six kills and six assists, while MKenna Gregory added three kills. Addison Moore led the defense with 12 digs and Fisher added nine. Harmon recorded a team-high eight service points, while she and Bateman each finished with two aces. With the crowd in place for the varsity edition of the rivalry, Loogootee came out firing. Senior Aubrey Gilbert dropped an ace into the middle of the Barr-Reeve defense to start the match, and two Lady Viking errors quickly gave Loogootee a 3-0 advantage. After Barr-Reeve got on the board, sophomore Haylo Harmon passed to Gilbert, who found senior Alaina Diamond for a soft kill and a 4-1 Lady Lion lead. The momentum changed quickly. Barr-Reeve responded with nine consecutive points, turning Loogootee’s early advantage into a 10-4 deficit. The Lady Lions tried to work their way back, with an attempted dink from Lydia Hawkins forcing an overpass that Diamond put away. A Barr-Reeve error followed, and Savannah Green’s ace later pulled Loogootee within four at 14-10. The Lady Vikings answered with another major run, however, scoring six straight to open a 20-10 advantage. Freshman Taryn Brown added a late kill, but Barr-Reeve controlled the remainder of the opener for a 25-12 victory. Loogootee responded with a much stronger second set. A Gilbert block opened the scoring, and Lauren Nolan’s ace helped the Lady Lions build a 4-1 advantage. Barr-Reeve worked its way back, but consecutive blocks from sophomore Karmen Wilson kept Loogootee within striking distance at 11-9. Barr-Reeve again tried to create separation, but Loogootee continued to answer. A Diamond swing off a Hawkins set kept the Lady Lions close, and later consecutive Barr-Reeve errors followed by a Green kill closed deficit at 16-20. Barr-Reeve found another gear at this point, putting together a late run behind its attack to take the set 25-18 and move within one of the sweep. The third set belonged to Barr-Reeve from the beginning. Two Loogootee errors were followed by four consecutive Lady Viking aces, and a 7-0 start forced Coach McAtee into an early timeout. Hawkins eventually provided Loogootee’s first offensive point with a kill, while Green and Diamond also found some success at the net, but the early hole proved too much to overcome. Barr-Reeve stretched its advantage to 20-8 and finished the match with a 25-9 third-set victory. Diamond led Loogootee offensively with five kills, followed by Green with three. Gilbert finished with five assists and Hawkins added four, while Gilbert also led the Lady Lions with five service points. Senior libero Jocelynn Sims remained busy against the Barr-Reeve attack and finished with a team-high 24 digs, while Hawkins added nine. The 12-25, 18-25, 9-25 loss moves Loogootee to 12-7 on the season.