The Tigers, who were facing South Webster with similar 4-0 records in SOC II play, battled in the third game and came away with a three-game sweep of the host Jeeps.
"We knew going into this match that South Webster is tough," Newton said. "They're very well coached, their girls are very disciplined.
"This was one of our goals this summer was that we wanted to come down here and we wanted to have a good game and we wanted to be able to compete. We are young so we did have a few momentum breaks throughout the match but I'm really proud of how we stayed with it, especially in that third game, coming from behind to be able to pick up that third game."
Waverly was able to take the first two games with similar 25-19 outcomes. In the final game, momentum was on the side of South Webster, which held a 23-19 lead before the Tigers (8-0, 5-0) rallied to score seven of the last eight points in the frame for a 26-24 triumph and a one-game lead in the conference standings.
"There's a huge attention to detail, a problem that we've had," Jeeps coach Darcee Claxon said. "I can tell in warm-ups there was a lack of focus and we addressed it before the game but obviously it didn't get taken care of.
"Against a team like Waverly, if you're not ready to play, you're not going to be successful and that's exactly what happened. We were unprepared, unfocused, plagued by errors and the bottom line is that we got outplayed."
In a sport where things can turn quickly, Newton felt it was essential to pay attention to detail.
"Volleyball is such a game of momentum and it's who can pick apart the other team's defense the best," Newton said. "We have been working on what are weaknesses are and try to build up where our weaknesses are."
South Webster, which held its "Volley for the Cure" event and wore pink shirts for breast cancer awareness, dropped to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the SOC II. Mariah Sullivan recorded 11 kills for the Jeeps while Erin Homerosky's 31 assists and Haylee Murphy's 10 digs and 5 assists were all team highs.
Also scoring for South Webster were Brooke Scott with eight kills and five digs, Haley Potters with seven kills, Katie Hanes and Cassie Edwards with five kills each and Homerosky added five digs.
Waverly statistical leaders included Alex Roback with 10 kills and 9 digs, Hannah Martin recorded 15 points, 8 kills and 2 aces, Kayla Riffe with 24 digs and Kala Hall with 40 assists. Also scoring for the Tigers were Hailey Boyer and Bri Wiget with nine kills each and Lindsay Ward with eight assists and two aces.
"Our offense was extremely spread out tonight and every hitter contributed," Newton said.
The turnaround is short for both teams so being able to channel the emotions again will be looked upon in their next matches. Waverly returns to action tomorrow with a home contest with Northwest while the Jeeps are back today in a home match with Jackson.
"The bottom line is they know what they need to do, they've played amazing and it comes down to them finding a way to play the way they know how," Claxon said. "It can't be anything that I can do or anybody else, it has to be a desire that comes within them and so they're going to do it or they're not.
"That's been the overall theme of the year, we're going to do it or we're not. We'll see if they come prepared."
CODY LEIST can be reached at 740-353-3101 ext. 242 or by email at cleist@heartlandpublications.com.
Waverly — 25 25 26
South Webster — 19 19 24
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