Chris Slone
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — The Portsmouth Trojans claimed a Division III Sectional Championship after beating the Rock Hill Redmen in four sets Saturday.
Portsmouth (16-6) beat fellow OVC member Rock Hill for the third time this season to claim the sectional crown.
“The Victory was awesome,” Trojans coach Sarah Prosch said. “It’s hard to beat a team three times in one year. We already beat Rock Hill twice. We beat them in four (sets) the first time and in five (sets) the second time, and it went down to the very end the second time we played them. The girls came in and knew it was going to be tough. They came in ready to play and battled every single point, and didn’t let things get into their heads, which is really nice to see, especially during tournament time.”
The Trojans already have better record than any other volleyball team in school history. However, for Prosch, that feat is not enough. She wants to reach uncharted territory during Portsmouth’s postseason run.
“Our goal is to make it furtherer than any other Portsmouth team has made it, and that’s to be the district champs,” Prosch said. “Right now we have the best record than any team in Portsmouth history. These girls are very young and have accomplished more than anybody has expected them too.”
Portsmouth came out and won the first set 25-22 and Prosch believes that momentum helped her young squad.
“I tell them all the time that it’s all about momentum in volleyball,” Prosch said. “You come out, you’ve got to be the first to five. You’ve got to get the first points, the first to five, the first to 10; coming out and winning that first set was good for us. It gave us confidence and it helped our self esteem, and we knew we were ready to succeed.”
With a squad that features on seniors, the Trojans have had a killer mentality all season.
“They don’t let up,” Prosch said. “This team never, ever gives up, and for a team that has no seniors and to be as young as they are, to never let up against any team that we play is phenomenal.”
The Trojans will play in the district semifinals Thursday at Waverly High School.
Box Score
Portsmouth def. Rock Hill 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 25-13
Reach Chris Slone at 740-353-3101, ext 1930, or on Twitter @crslone.
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