Seniors Cameran Edwards, Crystal Work, Tess Morningstar, Kiara Weber and Caroline Hishman all had major contributions in winning their final home match for the Lady Knights. They’ve also led Eisenhower to the playoffs for the first time in several years

“They’re the reason we’re here,” Eisenhower coach Scott Olson said. “It’s like night and day from when I started. The harder it got for them, the better they got.”

The five were honored prior to the game, as were TCCS seniors Greysen Fors, Ariel Meece and Brooke Martin, though it seemed the pregame festivities may have thrown the Knights (7-7 overall, 4-4 Region 3) off their game. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-2 lead to start the match. Eisenhower battled back to tie the set at 7-7 and the teams traded points before TCCS began to pull away and grabbed a 15-10 advantage.

The Lady Knights came back to knot things up at 17, but the Bulldogs again pulled away, going up 20-17 and 22-19. Eisenhower tied it again at 22-22, but the Bulldogs put the set away with a 25-23 win.

Tidioute Community Charter School’s Nakiesha Krouse puts down a kill during a match with Eisenhower at the John M. Niese memorial gymnasium, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Krouse had six kills and seven digs for the Bulldogs, but it was the Lady Knights who came away with the 3-2 victory.

“They had a good group (of fans and students) and they were loud,” Olson said. “Plus the emotion of senior night, it took us a while to settle down.”

TCCS again grabbed a big, early lead in the second, going up 6-1. Eisenhower charged back to tie the set at 8-8 and the two teams battled to a 12-all tie. The Lady Knights then went on a 6-0 run to take control of the set. TCCS was able to get a few points, but Eisenhower still led 22-17. Facing set point at 24-17, the Bulldogs made the Lady Knights earn the win, grabbing two points before Eisenhower put the set away for a 25-19 win.

“It’s us all season,” Olson said. “We’re a team of runs.”

It was Eisenhower’s turn to grab the quick lead in the third, going up 9-5. The Lady Knights methodically pulled away through the rest of the set to take a 2-1 lead with a 25-15 win.

The Lady Knights jumped out a 7-4 advantage to start the third, but the Bulldogs fought back to tie the set at 7-7. TCCS went up 8-7 and didn’t relinquish the lead for the rest of the set on its way to a 25-19 win.

Eisenhower’s Cameran Edwards goes up for a kill during a match against Tidioute Community Charter School in the John M. Niese memorial gymnasium, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Edwards finished with 21 kills and 11 digs to lead the Lady Knights to a 3-2 win over the Bulldogs.

“I give Tidioute a lot of credit,” Olson said. “They played well and played hard. They took us out of our game.”

The fifth set was a bit anticlimatic as the Lady Knights dominated from start to finish. They went up 5-1 quickly and never looked back en route to a 15-6 win to close out the match.

“That last game was more indicative of what we’re capable of,” Olson said. “Once we get it going, we can’t be stopped.”

For the third straight match, Edwards put up big numbers for the Lady Knights. She had a game-high 21 kills with 11 digs. Currie Hultman also had a big game with 19 digs, 16 kills and three aces.

Weber finished with 12 digs and four kills, while Morningstar had seven kills, six digs, five aces and three blocks and Hishman had nine digss, four aces, three kills, a block and 44 assists.

Tidioute's Angelina Sabella

For the Bulldogs, Nakiesha Krouse had six kills and seven digs, Shelby Proctor had six kills and 11 digs, Martin had five kills, nine digs and an ace, Angelina Sabella added five digs, three kills and a block and Fors finished with six digs, two aces, a kill and 17 assists.

The Bulldogs return home for a match with Union tonight, while the Lady Knights now turn their attention to the playoffs.

Playoff brackets were released Wednesday and both teams will participate in the 1A tournament. TCCS draws Jamestown, while Eisenhower squares off with Commodore Perry. Both games will take place Tuesday.

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JV: Eisenhower 2, TCCS 0

Tidioute Community Charter School's Angelina Sabella (21) gets a block on an attempted kill by Eisenhower's Currie Hultman (10) at Eisenhower High School, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. In addition to the block, Sabella had three kills and five digs, but it was Hultman and the Lady Knights who came away with the 3-2 win.

Eisenhower won the junior varsity match 25-18 and 25-21.

Bridgette Gourley (6 kills, 6 digs, block, ace), Paige Edwards (6 kills, 5 digs, 9 aces), Catrina Edwards (6 digs, 2 kills, 3 aces, block) Macy Elyer (5 digs, kill, ace) and Hannah Newcamp (4 digs, kill) were all strong in the win.

“We finished the season strong, and the girls showed their love of the game,” Eisenhower assistant coach Fallon Bachman said. “I’m proud of them.”

Proctor (2 kills, ace), Julia Blake (2 aces), Aspen Fors (3 assists), Sabella (kill) and Kay Rison (ace) played well for the Bulldogs.

Eisenhower volleyball players Kiara Weber (9) and Currie Hultman (10) engage in a quick game of rock, paper, scissors during a match against Tidioute Community Charter School in the John M. Niese memorial gymnasium, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. Hultman appears to have won this round-paper covers rock-and the Lady Knights went on to defeat the Bulldogs, 3-2.