BROOKVILLE — Versailles struggled through Midwest Athletic Conference play in regular season but is looking to follow the same recipe as last season and make a deep tournament run after regular-season struggles.
The Tigers made a good start to that goal on Wednesday.
Coach Kenzie Bruggeman went deep into her bench nearly all evening as the team started tournament play with a 25-3, 25-8, 25-12 victory over Greenon in a Division III sectional semifinal at Brookville High School.
“It is just fun to be in this enviroment,” Bruggeman said. “Brookville feels like a second home to us but we have so many new girls. This is their first time being here so just to have that tournament feel and to come out with a strong win is awesome.”
Versailles (8-13) lost to Jackson Center, Fort Recovery and Minster over the course of five days before finishing regular season with a 3-1 win over Anna on Saturday.
The Tigers wasted little time moving on in tournament play with Brynn Briscoe at the line serving eight unanswered points on the way to a 20-2 first set lead. Briscoe has 401 assists and 23 aces to her credit this season.
“She is one of our most consistent servers,” Bruggeman said of her sophomore server. “That is why we start with her in that rotation and just to have such a big confidence piece to start off and be able to rattle off points like that.”
The Tigers took an 11-3 lead in the second game before Greenon called a timeout. Versailles continued to add points stretching its lead to 16-3 on its way to a 25-8 second set win.
Big sectional wins have been the norm in recent years for Versailles, which was won seven consecutive district titles. The No. 3 seed Tigers will try for another big win on Saturday when they’ll face No. 15 Dayton Meadowdale in Brookville.
“The biggest thing in tournament is what we preach to the girls — that we are worried about our side,” Bruggeman noted. “The other side will be what it will be, but our mindset’s more important — what we do on our side is more important so that’s what we focus on.”
The Tigers handily won the third and final set of the night with the younger players earning valuable tournament experience in the 25-12 victory.
“It is good to get a couple of those girls in,” Bruggeman stated. “Lets make sure they’re doing the little things because they’re in practice too. Its just as important for them to get into a game and execute those things that we are working on. It’s fun to see them go in and be successful.”
