SOUTH WAYNE - After Barneveld struggled to slam the door on the Warriors in the first two sets, sophomore Hannah Butler had no problems finishing and leading Black Hawk to a nail-biting four-set win over the Golden Eagles Thursday.
Butler had 17 kills as the Warriors won 28-26, 26-24, 26-28, 25-16. Hannah Butler's freshman sister, Bailey Butler, had a match-high 18 kills. With the win on Senior Night, Black Hawk improves to 9-2 in the Six Rivers East and moves into sole possession of second place in the conference.
"It was very intense," Hannah Butler said. "It was awesome. We did not want to go to five (sets). We just got everyone playing together. We put it all out there."
Early on, the Six Rivers East Conference showdown had the makings of a match that would go five sets. The Warriors stormed back with comeback wins in the first two sets to set the tone.
Barneveld (7-3 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first set. Then the Warriors rallied. Bailey Butler had an ace and a kill to give Black Hawk a 16-15 lead. Junior Sydney Delzer then powered a kill to extend the Warriors' lead to 17-15. The Eagles had a late service error that haunted them, and Bailey Butler delivered a kill to give the Warriors a 25-24 lead. It would be short-lived as a service error by the Warriors tied the set at 25. But Black Hawk pulled out the first set after the Eagles hit two into the net.
"In the crucial and critical moments, they dig deep a lot and they that know what it's about," Black Hawk coach Rachel Wolff said. "Our girls know what it takes to win. It's about mental toughness. That's what it's about. All season long it's been fun coming from behind. I was really proud of how they kept their composure coming back to win. We didn't always make it easy."
The second set was a near replay of the first set. Barneveld sophomore Macy Doescher scored on a tip to give the Eagles a 19-16 lead. Barneveld later led 21-17, but again couldn't close the door on the Warriors. Black Hawk junior Savanna Burmeister's ace sliced the Eagles' lead to 21-19 and sparked her squad for the moment. The Eagles battled back to take a 23-19 lead, but the Warriors again rebounded, and Hannah Butler's kill gave her team a 24-23 lead. Moments later, Bailey Butler came through with an ace to give Black Hawk a 25-24 lead. The Eagles then hit one out and the Warriors survived.
"We focus a lot more and we play together," Hannah Butler said of the Warriors when they are behind late in a set.
In the third set, Barneveld turned the tables on Black Hawk. The Warriors led 21-16 late, but the Eagles rallied, scoring on a tip over the net and Brooklyn Hogan-Weier's kill to steal the third set.
Hannah Butler had three straight kills in the fourth set to help the Warriors race out to a 15-7 lead. Despite five serving errors in the final set, the Black Hawk rolled.
Senior Hannah Herbst dished out 21 assists for the Warriors. Burmeister notched four aces and Delzer posted four blocks.
Barneveld senior Taryn Pickarts had a team-high 15 kills and two aces. Senior teammate Kennedy Barsness had 16 assists and senior Courtney Skaife racked up 51 digs.
The Warriors honored seven seniors on the night.
"This group of seniors is a really strong group of leaders on and off the court," Wolff said. "They are role models for our younger athletes."
Butler had 17 kills as the Warriors won 28-26, 26-24, 26-28, 25-16. Hannah Butler's freshman sister, Bailey Butler, had a match-high 18 kills. With the win on Senior Night, Black Hawk improves to 9-2 in the Six Rivers East and moves into sole possession of second place in the conference.
"It was very intense," Hannah Butler said. "It was awesome. We did not want to go to five (sets). We just got everyone playing together. We put it all out there."
Early on, the Six Rivers East Conference showdown had the makings of a match that would go five sets. The Warriors stormed back with comeback wins in the first two sets to set the tone.
Barneveld (7-3 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first set. Then the Warriors rallied. Bailey Butler had an ace and a kill to give Black Hawk a 16-15 lead. Junior Sydney Delzer then powered a kill to extend the Warriors' lead to 17-15. The Eagles had a late service error that haunted them, and Bailey Butler delivered a kill to give the Warriors a 25-24 lead. It would be short-lived as a service error by the Warriors tied the set at 25. But Black Hawk pulled out the first set after the Eagles hit two into the net.
"In the crucial and critical moments, they dig deep a lot and they that know what it's about," Black Hawk coach Rachel Wolff said. "Our girls know what it takes to win. It's about mental toughness. That's what it's about. All season long it's been fun coming from behind. I was really proud of how they kept their composure coming back to win. We didn't always make it easy."
The second set was a near replay of the first set. Barneveld sophomore Macy Doescher scored on a tip to give the Eagles a 19-16 lead. Barneveld later led 21-17, but again couldn't close the door on the Warriors. Black Hawk junior Savanna Burmeister's ace sliced the Eagles' lead to 21-19 and sparked her squad for the moment. The Eagles battled back to take a 23-19 lead, but the Warriors again rebounded, and Hannah Butler's kill gave her team a 24-23 lead. Moments later, Bailey Butler came through with an ace to give Black Hawk a 25-24 lead. The Eagles then hit one out and the Warriors survived.
"We focus a lot more and we play together," Hannah Butler said of the Warriors when they are behind late in a set.
In the third set, Barneveld turned the tables on Black Hawk. The Warriors led 21-16 late, but the Eagles rallied, scoring on a tip over the net and Brooklyn Hogan-Weier's kill to steal the third set.
Hannah Butler had three straight kills in the fourth set to help the Warriors race out to a 15-7 lead. Despite five serving errors in the final set, the Black Hawk rolled.
Senior Hannah Herbst dished out 21 assists for the Warriors. Burmeister notched four aces and Delzer posted four blocks.
Barneveld senior Taryn Pickarts had a team-high 15 kills and two aces. Senior teammate Kennedy Barsness had 16 assists and senior Courtney Skaife racked up 51 digs.
The Warriors honored seven seniors on the night.
"This group of seniors is a really strong group of leaders on and off the court," Wolff said. "They are role models for our younger athletes."
