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HTC Pool: Tigers move on, Pekin eliminated
Andy Krutsinger
Sep. 26, 2019 11:15 pm
FT. MADISON - Two Union teams entered pool play at Holy Trinity Catholic on Thursday night but only one of them will be moving on in the SIESC tournament. New London went 2-1 on the night to punch their ticket to Saturday's finals.
The Tigers finished second overall, behind the hosting Crusaders, who beat the Tigers in three sets. Pekin, the other Union area team in action, went 0-3 on the day losing to HTC and New London via sweeps but pushing Louisa-Muscatine to the brink before losing in three.
In the first round of pool play, the top-seeded Tigers took on fourth-seeded L&M. New London was able to sweep with little resistance, taking sets 21-15 and 21-4.
On the other court, the third-seeded Panthers were taking on HTC. Pekin wasn't able to get much going agains the Crusaders, falling 21-7 and 21-9.
New London and Pekin faced each other in the second round of pool play. The Tigers clinched a spot in Saturday's finals with another two-set sweetp, winning 21-16 and 21-9. On the other court, HTC clinched their spot as well, outlasting Louisa-Muscatine 21-19 and 21-15.
New London's third game was for the pool championship and positioning for the finals. The Tigers dropped the first set against HTC 21-18, but came back to tie it with a 21-19 in the second. In a back-and-forth deciding third set, HTC prevailed 15-12.
'The main point is that you get to Saturday,” New London head coach Maureen Heat hsaid. 'We knew it was going to be a highly motivated and great match between us and Holy Trinity, and I thought it was a great match.”
The Crusaders and Tigers will join the other six qualifiers at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, to determine the SEISC champion.
'Anything can happen,” Coach Heath said. 'I'm not saying we'll be there but you can't count out anybody in that top five, I don't think.”
Pekin will be back in conference play on Thursday, Oct. 3, when they look for revenge at Louisa-Muscatine.
Union photo by Andy Krutsinger Sophie Reighard (9), Aliyah Christensen (2) and Marah Hartrick (33) celebrate a point during New London's pool play match with Holy Trinity on Thursday night. The Tigers finished second in their pool and advanced to Saturday's tournament finals.
Union photo by Andy Krutsinger Pekin's Kaylee Peiffer bumps a ball during Pekin's pool play game against New London on Thursday night.