BDC Volleyball: Sesser-Valier/Waltonville Nudges past Elverado
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Playing before its biggest crowd of the season-and on "Pink Out Night" in Piper-Valerius Gymnasium-Elverado High School's Volleyball team came ever so close to knocking off longtime nemesis Sesser-Valier/Waltonville.
The Lady Red Devils managed to escape EHS with 25-22 and 25-22 victories in the Black Diamond Conference match, dropping Elverado's records to 5-11 and 2-4.
"We just had too many timely mistakes," Lady Falcons coach Donette Wheatley said. "You can't miss two serves in a row with the score 20-21. But we always play hard. We just need to learn how to win."
Kelsey Tuthill topped Elverado with 13 points and was perfect in 17 trips to the service line. She also had three aces.
Allie Griest notched a team-high eight digs with Tiffany Yearian throwing down five kills.
Elverado's "Pink Out Night" proved very successful, with proceeds raised going to the Susan G. Komen "Volley for the Cure" campaign.
Benefits from a special raffle and concessions sale will go directly towards the fight against Cancer. Over $500 was raised.
"Pink Out Night was very successful and well-attended," Wheatley said. "We had lots of pink. I would like to thank everyone who donated items."
Cancer survivors, including Wheatley, were recognized during a pre-match ceremony that also honored Mallory Winthrop's inclusion the Elverado Athletic Wall of Fame.
Winthrop, a 2009 EHS grad, is the first volleyball player to earn the prestigious honor. She's the eighth Elverado athlete selected.
A dominating middle hitter, Winthrop was a three-time All-BDC selection and made the All-South team in 2008 while being named the EHS MVP.
The three-year leader in kills and blocks for the Lady Falcons, Winthrop also had high career percentages in serves (90%) and kills (81%) while topping the team in points last fall. She helped lead Elverado to the Class A regional finals.
Basketball players Allen Shupe, Julie Martie, Stefani Funk, Amy Thompson and Justin Kreid were picked in the past along with Jennifer Cobin (softball) and Justin Shaw (football).
The Wall of Fame is on permanent display in the front lobby of Piper-Valerius Gymnasium.
VARSITY STATISTICS
Kelsey Tuthill: 17-17 serving, 13 points, 3 aces, 5 assists, 5-5 hitting, 2 kills, 5 digs.
Allie Griest: 5-6 serving, 2 points, 1 ace, 1-1 hitting, 8 digs.
Tiffany Yearian: 6-8 serving, 4 points, 2 blocks, 12-14 hitting, 5 kills, 3 digs.
Arika Mace: 4-5 serving, 1 point, 3 assists, 2-2 hitting, 2 kills, 2 digs.
Hillary Dinkins: 6-6 serving, 3 points, 4-4 hitting, 3 digs.
Adrienne Hardwig: 3-3 serving, 1 point, 7-7 hitting, 3 kills.
Chelsea Cochran: 4 digs.
Junior Varsity score: Elverado (6-10, 1-5) 20-25-15, S-V/W 25-20-6.
Freshman score: Elverado (6-0, 4-0) 25-25-25, S-V/W 21-17-12.