Binda helps keep W’boro alive at Fort

FORT DEFIANCE — It was a heart pounding thriller at Fort Defiance on Tuesday night after Waynesboro avoided a sweep and came and forced a Game 5.

The Little Giants won the match 16-25, 17-25, 25-11, 26-24, 15-10. The victory gave the Little Giants a half-game lead for second place in the Southern Valley District over the Indians. Fort takes on Stuarts Draft on Thursday. If the Indians win on Thursday, there will be a three-way tie for first place. If the Fort falls, there will be a two-way tie for second.

Fort Defiance was tough on Tuesday.

The Giants could not get ahead of Fort until Game 3. It was the first time that the Giants were able to get past the Indians’ Kayla Pleskonko, who had 10 blocks on the night. Waynesboro coach Lori Aleshire threw her clipboard up several times in disgust.

“I did not think that we would win,” Aleshire said. “They proved me wrong after the third game. It did not seem that they wanted it as bad.”

In Game 3 the Little Giants jumped to a 24-11 lead and a dropped ball gave the Indians the win.

Fort was leading 20-18 in the fourth game but the Giants added two points to tie it in Game 4. But back-to-back kills from Haley Quesenberry and miscommunication from the Indians’ frontline gave the Giants the lead. The Indians tied it again, but the Giants prevailed.

Game 5 kept fans on their feet. Quesenberry led the game with a service point and then came Rachael Binda. Binda found the Indians weakness at mid-court and had 12 back-to-back kills to send her team home happy.

“They just had an opening all game in that area,” Binda said. “We needed to win or we don’t play, we weren’t ready to go home. This was one of the best games I have ever played.”

Binda had 24 kills on the night. Quesenberry had 12 points and two aces and Taylor DeWitt had 33 assists for the Giants. The Indians were led by Jordan Leake, who had 31 assists. Morgan Bell had 14 digs and Jessica Bell had 10 kills.

“We really wanted to win this game,” said Indians coach Lynn Alexander. “We got too relaxed and that’s when everything fell a part.”

The Indians (12-6, 5-2 Southern Valley) will play Stuarts Draft on Thursday night. The Giants (10-9, 6-2) wrapped up their Southern Valley season, and will have to wait for the chips to fall to see what seed they will get for the tournament.