Fairfield celebrates its first volleyball sectional title since 2014 after beating NorthWood, 3-0, Saturday evening at the NorthWood Volleyball Sectional. (Photos by Mike Deak)

NAPPANEE – Watching Fairfield head coach Riley Anderson bob, weave, lean and react to the angles and turns of the championship match of the NorthWood Volleyball Sectional Saturday evening, it brought back immediate memories of her charismatic playing days at her alma mater just a few years ago. The celebration after Anderson’s Falcons crushed NorthWood 3-0 to win the title was one the coach knows all too well.

“You always have this pride of Falcon volleyball, and when you see it slip out of your fingers in previous years and then to finally get it back, it’s like ‘yeah!’,” Anderson said. “That’s the pride our program has and I want it so bad for the girls because I remember this feeling. It was only five years ago that I remember this feeling. It’s awesome to see them getting to experience this awesome time.”

It was a very emotional day for the Falcons, needing to hold off defending champion West Noble in a wild five-game thriller in the morning semis, then come back against the hosts, who crushed Lakeland in the second semi-final. To say there was a little bit to prove was an understatement as Fairfield looked sharper, more focused and smarter in what was a tidy 58-minute championship match in the final at 25-16, 25-15, 25-15.

A key run in the first game had Fairfield take leads of 11-8 and 16-9 by using its defense to create offense. The deep angles and dinks NorthWood tried at the net were flushed out and turned around, giving Fairfield the seven-point lead and forcing NorthWood coach Hilary Laidig to call her second timeout of the frame.

“I don’t feel like we served as aggressively and our serve receive was off,” said Laidig. “Because of that our setting didn’t get to where it needed to be. We haven’t lost a ton of games this season, but when we have lost we have had an implosion. Not just one or two people, which makes it even worse.”

Fairfield won a large portion of the 50/50 balls at the net, helped by four blocks by Gabrielle Armstrong and two blocks each from Brooklyn Luke, Felicity Bontrager and Chloe Bontrager. Luke, who is listed modestly at 5-10, also made several fantastic plays on the back line, including a textbook dig in the third game at 12-8 during a long rally Fairfield would put away. The energy from that play alone for the navy and gold closed the door, sending Fairfield to its 13th sectional title and first since 2014.

“It’s all a mental battle,” Anderson said. “We practice mental toughness throughout the year. We practice tough situational things. They stepped up and did what they needed to do and made the adjustments in the game. They executed, and that’s all we can ask.”

Luke recorded 10 digs and led the club with 12 kills and three aces. Madeline Gawthrop, Chloe Bontrager and Felicity Bontrager combined for 24 kills, Julia Brown set up 28 points and Sarah Shank solidified the back line with 11 digs.

“We’re just disappointed,” noted Laidig, whose team bows out at 22-10 overall. “I have six seniors and I want the world for them and it just sucks to end like that. I don’t think we’re stunned, Fairfield is a good team and a good program. They have been in a lot of sectional championships as a program. I’m just disappointed for my kids.”

Fairfield (29-7) will take on Bellmont (24-12), which beat Heritage 3-0 at Mississinewa. The two will meet at noon next Saturday at the two-game Norwell Regional. Fort Wayne Dwenger (31-1) and New Castle (30-6) will meet at 10 a.m. in the other half of the bracket.

Fairfield 3, West Noble 2

In what was the more entertaining of the two wins for Fairfield, the Falcons avenged the NECC championship loss to West Noble and avoided total disaster at the same time.

Winning the first game 31-29 and the second 25-14, Fairfield was on its way until West Noble rallied to claim game three 25-22 and game four 25-7 as momentum completely swung to the Chargers. Game five was everything one would expect between the NECC rivals, going 19-17 to Fairfield.

Brown was a beast in assists with 47 and Chloe Bontrager led with 18 kills. Luke and Felicity Bontrager combined for 36 digs in the match.

NorthWood 3, Lakeland 0

It was elementary for the Panthers in the morning session in a 25-11, 25-11, 25-9 run-through against the Lakers.

Haylee Pennington had nine hammers to lead the home side, while Whitney Gessinger had eight digs and Courtney Lengacher added seven digs and 24 assists. Maddy Payne whistled seven aces.

Lakeland bowed out of the tournament 3-24, West Noble was 25-9.