WHEELERSBURG — The Wheelersburg Lady Pirates (13-1) volleyball team withstood a test from visiting Zane Trace in Saturday’s non-league contest — earning a three-set home win (25-19, 25-18, 25-19) over the Lady Pioneers.

‘Burg coach Allen Perry commended assistant coach Kelsey Glocker for their scouting report and game plan against Zane Trace and his player’s execution of their game plan following the victory.

Both Wheelersburg (13-1) and Zane Trace (12-3) will be vying for top seeds in the Division III Southeast District seedings — meaning their matchup in the later portion of the regular season was an opportunity to showcase what each team is capable of, Perry believed.

“I felt like it was a good opportunity for us to show we’re at that level and we can compete with those schools. I thought our girls came out today with super focus,” Perry said. “I shouldn’t be the only that you’re talking to, it should be Kelsey Glockner, my assistant coach. I’ve said for years that she’s the best coach in southern Ohio, I’ll keep saying it; I’m just the lucky soul who gets to work with her. She did some scouting, put together a game plan, the girls went exactly with her scout and executed everything.”

Leading Wheelersburg at the net was senior Madie Mays and sophomore Gracie Perkins who each had a team-high 12 kills in the win.

“She’s a senior leader. She deserves a lot of the credit for our success this year for how she’s stepped up. As a leader, as a senior. This year she’s serving, playing all the way around — she doesn’t come off the floor,” Perry said, of Mays’ effort during the season. “Whenever were thrown into some adversity, nobody stepped up bigger. Super proud of her.”

Definisively, senior Lexie Rucker led the Lady Pirates with 10 digs. Senior libero Kiera Kennard and fellow senior Madison Whittaker each had nine digs.

Senior setter Makenna Walker had a team-best two ace serves and 40 assists on ‘Burg points in the sweep.

The Lady Pirates have six SOC II games and two non-league games remaining in their 2022 schedule, prior to the start of the Division III tournaments.

They’ll host Portsmouth West on Wednesday in a league game — as they look to hold onto their tie for first place with South Webster.

“We’ve suffered some peaks and valleys, we want to stay on an upward climb — in the moment and in the games,” Perry said. “After we lost to Webster this week, I think maybe that was an eyeopener, some rejuvenation. I’ve seen steady progression since then, want to continue that and working cohesively.”

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BOX SCORE

Zane Trace 19 18 19 — 0

Wheelersburg 25 25 25 — 3

Reach Jacob Smith at (740) 370-0713 ext. 1930, by email at [email protected], or on Twitter @JacobSmithPDT © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved