By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
STURGIS - Despite turning in one of its best performances of the season, the Dowagiac varsity volleyball team could not bring home a district championship.
The Chieftains were eliminated in the semifinals of the Class B District Volleyball Tournament by No. 5 ranked Sturgis Saturday afternoon, 25-16, 25-15 and 25-17.
Dowagiac (15-24-6) battled the Lady Trojans tooth-and-nail throughout the match, including the first game.'
Dowagiac and Sturgis were tied multiple times in the opening game, including 15-15.
Then Sturgis' Michelle Forbes took control, serving up eight straight service winners as the Lady Trojans took a 24-15 lead.
Dowagiac was unable to mount a rally and lost 25-16.
The Chieftains roared out to a 6-0 lead in the second game forcing Sturgis to call an early time out.
Brittany Bruens accounted for five of Dowagiac's first six points.
Sturgis cut the lead to 7-4 on four consecutive service points by Andrew Barnard.
Dowagiac upped its advantage to 9-5 on a pair of service winners, including an ace by Ashley Urbanski.
The Lady Trojans caught the Chieftains at 9-9 forcing Greulich to call a time out.
Katie Elliott, who served up 11 consecutive points, gave Sturgis a 17-9 advantage.
Dowagiac cut the lead to 20-13 on two winners by Amy Wood, including an ace, and got to within six points, 21-15, on a winner by Jill Billingham.
Sturgis scored the final four points of the game to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
Sturgis dominated the early part of the third game before the Chieftains made a charge.
Trailing 14-8, Greulich called a time out to rally his troops.
Dowagiac responded and cut the lead to 19-14 following three consecutive service winners by Kim Luthringer.
The Lady Trojans then scored back-to-back points to make it 21-14, forcing Dowagiac into its final time out.
Dowagiac cut the lead to 23-16, but Sturgis closed them out on back-to-back winners by Madison Clark.
Bruens led Dowagiac with four kills, while Luthringer, Wood, Urbanski and Brittney Reist all finished with three kills.
Bruens also led the team with nine assists and points with six.
Reist led the team in digs with eight, blocks with six and aces with three.
Reist also had six blocks and four points. Lindsay Tyler finished with seven digs and Luthringer six.
Billingham finished with five blocks, while Woods finished with three points. Bruens and Urbanski each had two aces.
In the first match of the day, Paw Paw defeated Vicksburg in five games.
In the other semifinal, Three Rivers defeated Paw Paw before falling to Sturgis in the finals, 25-11, 25-16 and 25-11.
Class B at Niles
Lakeshore won its first district championship with an upset of No. 6 St. Joseph in the finals, 26-24, 20-25, 19-25, 25-23 and 15-8.
Lakeshore, an honorable mention selection in Class B, reached the finals with a 25-23, 25-21 and 25-16 victory over Lakeland Conference champion Coloma in the semifinals.
St. Joseph reached the finals with a 25-15, 25-15 and 25-17 win over Edwardsburg. The Lady Bears defeated Niles in the opening round, 25-11, 20-25, 25-14 and 25-11.
The Lady Eddies reached the semifinals with a 16-25, 25-22, 25-18 and 25-12 win over Berrien Springs in the opening round.
Edwardsburg ends its season at 16-22-3.
Class C at White Pigeon
White Pigeon captured Class C championship at Centreville on Saturday with a 25-19, 25-21, 19-25 and 25-18 victory over Constantine in the finals.
The Chiefs reached the finals with a 25-18, 25-14 and 25-16 win over Centreville in the semifinals. Constantine made it to the finals with a 25-15, 25-18 and 25-15 victory over Cassopolis in the other semifinal.