The Southeast Lancers put together one of their most complete nights of volleyball this season, sweeping Three Rivers League rivals Erie and Uniontown in straight matches during triangular action on Tuesday night.
The sweep pushes the Lancers’ varsity record to 4-17 on the year, but more importantly, it signaled a major turning point in energy and execution as the squad cut down on mistakes and closed out tight sets down the stretch.
Lancers Outlast Host Red Devils in Three-Set Thriller
Southeast opened the evening against host Erie, setting the tone early with a commanding 25-15 win in the first set. The Red Devils answered back to take the second frame 25-20, forcing a decisive third set. With the match on the line, the Lancers regrouped and controlled the tempo to claim the set 25-20 and take the match 2-1.
Senior Reece led the attack at the net, hammering down 13 kills while putting up two solo blocks, three block assists, and picking up seven digs. Junior setter Elena White ran a balanced offense with 19 assists while anchoring the defense with 17 digs.
Sophomore libero Addy Ulepich put on a clinic on the back row, racking up a match-high 28 digs and posting 14 perfect passes (3-point ratings) on serve receive. Junior Gabby Ulepich contributed six kills and an assisted block, while sophomore Emma Gideon added five kills, a block assist, and 12 digs.
“I think we went into the first set really strong, but during the second set you could really feel the drop of the attitude,” Addy Ulepich said. “Then we really pulled through for the third to come through on a win.”
Southeast Shuts the Door on Uniontown in Straight Sets
Riding the wave of momentum from their opening victory, the Lancers carried that confidence right into their second match against Uniontown.
Southeast took control early with a 25-15 victory in the opener. The Eagles pushed back in set two, but the Lancers showed poise in crunch time, locking down key defensive rallies to secure a 25-22 win and complete the two-match sweep.
Reece again paced the attack with six kills and an assisted block, while sophomore Hope Sluder stepped up with five kills of her own. White dished out eight assists and collected seven digs, while Gabby Ulepich chipped in six assists. Addy Ulepich cleaned up the back row once again with 15 digs, complemented by Gideon’s nine digs.
“Going into tonight’s games we really wanted to win, and we really showed it,” team captain Elena White said. “We really changed our mindset tonight and it showed. All the girls did really good!”
Coach White: ‘Fight and Determination to Win’
For Head Coach Maya White, the night represented clear growth for a group that has spent recent weeks focusing on mental toughness and ball control.
“I am proud of our team,” Coach White said. “We have been battling ourselves this season by making too many errors, and tonight we came out wanting to change that. We were not error-free, but we reduced them a lot. We also had some fight and determination to win tonight and make a change. We still have work to do, and we are going to use the time to continue to get better.”
Sub-Varsity Results
- C-Team vs. Erie: The Lancers dropped a tight two-set battle, 25-27, 21-25. Freshman Emeri Smardo paced Southeast at the line and the net with three aces and two blocks.
- JV vs. Erie: Southeast fell in straight sets, 12-25, 23-25.
- JV vs. Uniontown: The Lancers pushed the Eagles to extra points in the opening frame before falling 25-27, 17-25.
Up Next
Southeast will look to keep the momentum rolling on Thursday when all three squads travel to Parsons High School for a triangular matchup against Frontenac and Parsons.
