REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL Fitch rallies, earning another trip to Dayton

Retiring coach Tom Case is making his third trek to state.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HUDSON -- Austintown Fitch High volleyball coach Tom Case will have to wait at least one more match to begin his retirement.
That's because the Falcons are going to the Division I state tournament.
Austintown (23-4) rallied from a 12-10 deficit in the deciding third game to defeat Mentor, 15-12, Saturday in the regional final at Hudson High School. The rivals split the first two games; Fitch won 15-9 before falling 15-6 in the second game.
"These girls won't let me go home yet," said Case, who leads the team back to the state tournament for the third time.
The Falcons played in Dayton in 1999 and 2001 but lost both times in the opening match.
"I think all six girls contributed," Case said. "Our defense held us in there when we went down in that third game."
Momentum
The contest was a perfect example of how momentum can quickly turn in volleyball.
The Falcons jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the third game and looked to be cruising.
The sure-minded Fitch team began to lose composure, though, as the lead began to evaporate.
"I couldn't have called enough timeouts," Case said. "I could have used a lot of more timeouts at that point."
Mentor (24-4), behind the strong play of 6-foot-6 middle hitter Megan Skouby and outside hitters Erica Parker and Lauren Keiter, began to eat into the lead and eventually tied the score at 9.
The Cardinals pushed the lead to 12-10 before Case called his final time out.
"Coach told us to get out there and fight our way through it," senior Stacie Mang said. "He had a lot of confidence in us and told us the outcome is up to us."
O'Patchen delivers
Although the Falcons have five seniors who have played together for four years, it was a freshman, Caitlyn O'Patchen, who put Fitch back in the lead.
O'Patchen served four consecutive points and had 12 for the game as Fitch rallied to take a 14-12 lead.
After a side out, Case's daughter, Maggie, served the winning point.
Mang set it and senior Jenn Drabison drilled it home.
"We weren't going out without a fight," Maggie Case said. "It's our senior year and we weren't ready to go home. We weren't ready to let my dad retire."
Strong first game
The Falcons erupted out of the gate to stun Mentor in the first game.
"We gave that game away," Mentor coach Richard Woodman said. "I thought we came in ready to play but Fitch played a great volleyball match."
Mentor dominated the second game but Fitch quickly regained momentum at the start of the deciding third game.
Case led the Falcons with 15 kills and 10 blocks. Mang added 28 assists.