Daily Reporter staff reports
The New Palestine Dragons are champions once more.
Defeating Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Shelbyville 8-0 on Monday night, the girls soccer team clinched a share of the conference crown.
The Dragons finished their HHC schedule 6-1, tying New Castle for the title. New Palestine beat New Castle 3-1 on Sept. 14, but they lost to Greenfield-Central 2-1 on Sept. 16, which kept them from an outright championship.
Their latest HHC title marks the program’s sixth overall (2003, ’04, ’10, ’11 and ’12) and first in three years.
Katie Villiger was the catalyst in New Palestine’s shutout win against Shelbyville, scoring a hat trick. Grace Voelz had a goal and an assist. Meaghan Matus had a goal and an assist.
Olivia McKilligin, Olivia Lambdin and Molly Carpenter each had goals.
Villiger now has 14 goals on the season as the Dragons improved to 12-3 on the season.
“I’m very happy for the girls because this was one of their team goals for the season,” New Palestine head coach Gina Fannin commented. “They achieved it, they earned it, and they should all be proud of themselves.”
Marauders’ early lead enough vs. Arabians
Mt. Vernon jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 25 minutes on Monday night and held on to win 3-2 against Pendleton Heights on the road.
Alexi Hardie, Cleo Mills and Morgan Scruggs each fired goals for the Marauders. The assists went to Blaire Viehweg and Nicole Ratts.
The Arabians scored their first goal late in the first half and another midway through the second half before the Marauders’ defense clamped down.
“It was a war, a very physical game with a ton of fouls and free kicks,” Mt. Vernon head coach Steve Williams said.
Volleyball
New Palestine blanked by Franklin Central
The New Palestine volleyball team ran into a tough unranked Franklin Central squad Monday night, losing in three-straight sets.
The loss dropped Class 3A No. 13 New Palestine to 20-5 on the season. The Dragons traveled to 3A No. 1 Yorktown yesterday for a Hoosier Heritage Conference match and return home on Thursday to face Triton Central.
Royals lose tough one against North Decatur
The Eastern Hancock Royals lost a hard-fought match 3-2 against Mid-Hoosier Conference foe North Decatur on Monday night.
The Royals won the first set 25-21, grabbed the fourth 27-25 after trailing 2-1 and fell in the decisive fifth set 15-10.
The loss dropped the team’s record to 4-15 and 2-3 in the MHC.
Despite the setback, juniors Leah Ferguson and Kaysi Gilbert set the pace with a combined 20 kills.
Gilbert added five aces and two blocks. Haley Best, a freshman, had 20 digs, and sophomore Payton Hicks added five total blocks.
Boys tennis
No. 6 Delta too much in sweep vs. Marauders
The Mt. Vernon tennis team lost to host Delta 7-0 on Monday night.
The Marauders agreed to play four singles and three doubles matches as Delta was celebrating Senior Night, which allowed all their seniors to play varsity.
Brendon Ware, Matt Hays, Wilken Baldwin and Luken Rigsbee all competed as singles players for Mt. Vernon.
Delta is ranked sixth in the state. The Marauders finished the regular season with a 12-4 record and 5-2 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.
Cougars close season with loss to Trojans
The Greenfield-Central Cougars lost 4-1 to Hoosier Heritage Conference foe New Castle on Monday night.
Nate Real scored the Cougars’ lone win at No. 2 singles, defeating his opponent 6-3, 6-2.
Both doubles teams just came up short in very close matches. Saben Fletcher and Dylan Wilburn battled in a 5-7, 6-7 (7-9) match at No. 1 doubles.
Brady Wright and Kyle Willis lost 2-6, 4-6 at No. 2 doubles.
No. 1 singles Zak Lawhorn lost in a three-set match, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6. Former doubles player, Jerry Fogle, worked hard in defeat at No. 3 singles, 2-6, 3-6.
The Cougars finish the regular season 11-11 and will open the Mt. Vernon Sectional in the first-round against Pendleton Heights tonight at 5 p.m.
