The Mt. Zion Braves battled Effingham in an Apollo Conference matchup Thursday night, but a tightly contested opening set ultimately swung in favor of the Flaming Hearts before Effingham created separation in the second.
Effingham defeated Mt. Zion in straight sets, 25-23, 25-18, handing the Braves a loss just two days after Mt. Zion rallied from an opening-set defeat to beat Decatur Unity Christian in three sets. Thursday’s match was played at Mt. Zion High School.
The opening set proved to be the closest battle of the evening.
Mt. Zion stayed within striking distance throughout the frame and pushed Effingham all the way to the closing points. With little separating the two sides, the Flaming Hearts were able to make the necessary plays late and edge the Braves 25-23 to take a one-set advantage.
Despite dropping the opener by only two points, Mt. Zion continued to challenge Effingham in the second. The Flaming Hearts, however, were able to build more separation as the set progressed and prevented the Braves from producing the type of comeback they had used earlier in the week against Unity Christian.
Effingham eventually finished the second set 25-18, completing the two-set sweep.
The Flaming Hearts received a balanced offensive performance in the victory, totaling 20 kills and 19 assists as a team while adding five service aces, 29 digs and eight solo blocks.
Amelia Wendling led Effingham’s attack with nine kills on 24 attempts, hitting .208 for the match. She also contributed six digs and was involved at the net with a solo block and a block assist.
Mara Braun was especially effective at the net, recording three kills on eight attacks for a .375 hitting percentage while finishing with four solo blocks and two block assists.
Effingham also received three kills apiece from Bailey Bohnhoff and Cami Burgholzer. Bohnhoff distributed a team-high eight assists, recorded seven digs and added an ace, while Burgholzer contributed three assists, three digs and two service aces.
The Flaming Hearts’ back-row defense played an important role as well. Macy Kirk and Bohnhoff each recorded seven digs, Wendling added six and Lena Gebben finished with five.
For Mt. Zion, Thursday represented a difficult follow-up to Tuesday’s three-set victory over Decatur Unity Christian. In that match, the Braves lost the opening set 27-25 before responding with 25-20 and 25-21 victories to complete the comeback.
Against Effingham, the Braves once again found themselves on the wrong side of a close opening set, but this time their opponent never allowed the match to reach a deciding third.
Mt. Zion’s roster features a veteran group that includes seniors Kendall Smith, Avelyn Ethell, Tinlee Ford, Catelyn Crafton, Lyla Swartz, Tinley Ditty, Jillian Durbin and Bella Rhoades, alongside several underclassmen. That group kept Thursday’s opening set within one late push of swinging the match in a different direction before Effingham closed it out.
The loss gives Mt. Zion an opportunity to regroup quickly, with another match approaching Saturday against Richland County.
For Effingham, the victory was built on its ability to finish two very different sets. The Flaming Hearts survived Mt. Zion’s pressure in a two-point opening battle and then established a larger cushion in the second to close out the night without needing a third set.
FINAL: Effingham def. Mt. Zion, 2-0
Set 1: Effingham 25, Mt. Zion 23
Set 2: Effingham 25, Mt. Zion 18
