The Ionia 8th Grade Volleyball teams traveled to Portland tonight for their final match of the season. The B-team Bulldogs started off a little slow in the first set and struggled on serve receive. Melanie White served tough and had four aces while Brooklynn Nash and Jordyn Ciganick each added a kill. In the end, it was too much to overcome and the Dawgs fell short to Portland, losing 13-25. Ionia talked about what they could do better both individually and as a team before coming back out to the court for set two and their efforts paid off! Ryley Helmes had three solid kills and played well all the way around. Courtney Thomas did not let a ball drop from the back row. Brielle Nummer and Jocelyn White played their roles well in the front row. More movement on serve receive and aggressive play at the net propelled the Bulldogs to victory in set two as they defeated Portland 25-18. It all came down to the final 15 points and Ionia knew they had to keep their momentum going right from the start. Elle Lepley put down two solid kills and Skye Currigan added two aces. McKenna O'Connor encouraged her teammates and stayed positive on the court and Aizlin Barna covered her front row players. All in all, The Bulldogs came together and defeated Portland in three tonight, winning the final set 15-11. I am proud of our growth this year as a whole and am excited to watch these Lady Dawgs continue in their athletic careers! 

The Ionia 8th Grade B Team ended their season with a 6-4 record overall. Thank you to all the parents and family members/friends who supported the team this season! Let's Go Bulldogs!