The Independence Volleyball team made Hallie Teribery‘s first victory as a varsity head coach one she will never forget.
Independence recovered after dropping the opening set, prevailed in a 29-27 second-set marathon, and ultimately outlasted the Fairview Volleyball team in five sets: 22-25, 29-27, 25-22, 24-26, 15-11.
No set was decided by more than four points.
“Honestly, I’m just really proud of this group,” Teribery said. “To get our first win as a varsity program in a five-set battle like that makes it even more special. There were definitely some ups and downs, but the girls continued to believe in each other and fight until the very last point. I’m really proud of how they handled the pressure and found a way to finish it.”
Fairview came out with energy and took the opening set, 25-22, forcing the Blue Devils to respond.
“It was definitely a wake-up call, but I think it was a really important one for us,” Teribery said. “Fairview came out with a lot of energy and put us on our heels early. We had to learn quickly that we can’t wait for the game to come to us.
“I was proud of how our girls responded instead of getting frustrated or letting the early deficit define the match.”
The response came in a second set that required 56 points to settle. Independence Volleyball held on for a 29-27 victory to even the match and then moved in front by taking the third set, 25-22.
The Warriors refused to go away. Fairview forced a deciding set with a 26-24 victory in the fourth, setting up one more pressure-filled test for Teribery’s squad.
Independence answered by winning the fifth set, 15-11, to complete the milestone victory.
“I think it came down to trusting each other and staying aggressive,” Teribery said. “There were a lot of long rallies where we had opportunities to let up, but the girls kept making the next play. Our communication really picked up as the match went on, and we started playing with a lot more confidence.
“When the game got tight, they trusted the work they’ve put in and trusted the person next to them.”
Emily Slusher led the Blue Devils’ 58-kill attack with 18 kills. Mia Mudra added 17 kills, 15 digs and three aces, giving Independence another productive all-around performance.
Peyton Bechlem contributed eight kills, eight digs and two aces, while Julia Jurkiewicz and Hailey Pflug directed the offense from the Blue Devils’ two-setter system.
Jurkiewicz finished with 26 assists and a match-high five aces for Independence. Pflug, a freshman, distributed 25 assists and collected eight digs.
Genna Gallucci anchored the Blue Devils’ back row with a team-high 24 digs.
Fairview’s Chloe King delivered an outstanding all-around performance with 11 kills, six aces, 19 assists, 15 digs and three blocks.
Skylar Ereth added eight kills, three aces and five blocks for the Warriors. Phoebe Tidmore recorded six kills, three aces and 18 digs, while Nichole Conlan supplied 15 assists and 11 digs.
Molly Flynt led all players with 31 digs.
The Blue Devils’ ability to remain together after falling behind—and again after Fairview forced the fifth set—stood out most to Teribery.
“I learned that this team has a lot of fight,” she said. “We’re still a young program, and we have a lot to clean up, but tonight showed me that they’re willing to battle and stay together when things aren’t going our way.
“We talk a lot about being WEOFEO—With Each Other, For Each Other—and I think we really saw that tonight. Everyone played a role in that win, whether they were on the court or supporting from the sideline.”
The victory gave the Blue Devils a moment to celebrate and provided Teribery with an early example of what her team can become.
“I’m really thankful for the support we had tonight,” she said. “This is a special group of girls, and getting to experience the first varsity win with them is something I know I’ll remember for a long time.
“We’re going to enjoy this one, but we also know it’s just the beginning. I’m excited to see what this team can continue to build together.”
More Volleyball Coverage From OhioVarsity.com
Volleyball Match Result
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
 Fairview Warriors | 2 |
 Independence Blue Devils | 3 |
Top Performers
Fairview
Independence
Player Stats
Fairview
| Player | K | D | A | Aces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloe King | 11 | 15 | 19 | 16 |
| Skylar Ereth | 8 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Phoebe Tidmore | 6 | 18 | 0 | 3 |
| Nichole Conlan | 4 | 11 | 15 | 0 |
| Liv Connelly | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Molly Flynt | 2 | 31 | 1 | 1 |
| Emme Eberly | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Carolyn Wering | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Independence
| Player | K | D | A | Aces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Slusher | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mia Mudra | 17 | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| Peyton Bechlem | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| Lexi Behm | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zara Toth | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Chloe Johnson | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Violet Jacob | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Hailey Pflug | 1 | 8 | 25 | 1 |
| Julia Jurkiewicz | 0 | 5 | 26 | 5 |
| Alyssa Gangale | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Genna Gallucci | 0 | 24 | 4 | 1 |
Game Notes
Updated automatically through this result and the latest reported player stats.
