The Atlantic Trojans advanced in the 3A region 4 tournament with a solid 3-1 win over the Shanandoah Fillies Tuesday night. Taking set one 25-18, the defense was excellent, especially at the net. Although Atlantic dropped set two, they responded tremendously in set three, owning the longest two runs of the game. Despite Shenandoah competing to the very end, the Trojans pulled away late in set four to secure a 3-1 win and a spot in the regional semi-final.

Set one largely featured Atlantic defense. Although the defense at the net was good all night, it was particularly prevalent in this set. Jillian Saathoff and Brynn Lamp were particularly active at the net throughout the match. The defining moment in the set came late. After going on a 5-0 run, the Fillies answered back with a 4-0 run of their own. However, Atlantic pulled away again, putting up the next four points to increase the lead to five. Although Shenandoah would pick up a few more points, that deficit was too much to overcome.

Atlantic struggled in set two. Not necessarily because they played poorly, but more because of what they left on the table. In addition to a handful of service errors, the Trojans struggled to hit down on the ball as it seemed to sail on them. All things considered, the Trojans led for a large portion of the set, but the mistakes came back to bite them. Lyndie Green and the Fillies were able to grab momentum late with a 5-0 run (their largest of the match) and carry it to a set two win.

Set three saw the Trojans respond. The offense hit its stride again with Reese Harlan and Jayci Reed both playing a big role. Zoey Kirchoff was great at the servicing line and setting in what was Atlantic’s most dominant win of the night. After extending their lead to six with a 6-0 run, they immediately followed it up with the largest run of the game. The 10-0 run solidified what turned into a 25-10 win and a 2-1 advantage.

Set four saw Atlantic do much of what they did in set one and set three. The defense was able to keep balls alive, while the offense took advantage of its opportunities. However, with their season on the line, Shenandoah put up a good fight. The early part of the set was back and forth. However, a 4-0 run quickly followed by a 5-0 run gave the Trojans the separation they needed to close it out and move on to the semi-final. Head coach Alyssa Boltz was happy with her team’s performance especially when it came to their intensity.

In addition to their veteran leadership, the Trojans also have a solid group of young talent. In addition to Harlan, Madison McLaren and Emerie Jones played well and Boltz says their efforts and abilities round out the team.

The Trojans will have a tough test on Thursday as they travel to take on 36-2 Red Oak in the semi-final on the road. There only losses came to Pella back in August and Sioux Center in September. The Tigers are coming off a 3-0 win over Clark Community in their quarterfinal matchup and although Boltz says there are some things to cleanup, it all starts with belief.

The match is scheduled to start at 7 pm.