PINCONNING - Oct. 14, 2009 - Ogemaw Heights' volleyball team saw its North East Michigan Conference title chances brighten considerably Wednesday with a five-game victory over Pinconning. Coupled with Tawas Area's loss at John Glenn, the Falcons and Bobcats both climbed to within a game of the Braves.

Ogemaw took Wednesday's match 25-15, 21-25, 25-12, 20-25, 15-11.

"The girls did a great job at the net slowing the ball down," said Ogemaw coach Diane Gillette. "Our movement on the court improved and we had great communication. For the most part it was a balanced attack at the net with all hitters recording multiple kills.

"Our serving was also outstanding in that we only cracked three times."

The Falcons looked to be on their way after big wins in the first and third games. But Pinconning, showing more aggressiveness under new coach Bri Frisinger, came back for a 25-20 win in Game 4 as Chelsea Adcock on the outside and Cassidy Vieau in the middle turned in several powerful kills.

"Cassidy hasn't hit like she did tonight," Frisinger said. "She was hitting it hard and getting excited, and that's what we need.

"I was just amazed at the girls' hustle. They were getting to balls there was no way they should have been getting to. It's things like that that make the game worth watching and coaching. I am so proud of them."

Pinny took a 3-1 lead in the fifth game, but Sara Meier had two kills, a block and a tip in the middle as the Falcons scored six straight points.

The Spartans crept as close as 10-8, but Meier and Jorie Lucas each had kills down the stretch, and though Adcock kept the Spartans in it with a kill and an ace, the Falcons were able to hang on for the win.

" I am very proud of these girls as we head into the home stretch," Gillette said.

The Falcons (9-12-5, 6-2 NEMC) have next Wednesday's game at Tawas and finish the following week with Whittemore-Prescott at home. The Falcons also play at the Gaylord Invitational Saturday, Oct. 17.

The Spartans (11-20, 2-5) play at John Glenn on Monday, Oct. 19, and host Standish-Sterling on Wednesday.

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OH Stats: Angela Carollo 10 kills; Paige Bachelder 8 kills, 24 digs; Sara Meier 9 kills; Jorie Lucas 20 digs, 5 aces; Andrea Gillette 17 assists, 20 digs; Shelby Marshall 18 assists.

Pinny Stats: Kelsey Beck 6 aces, 12 digs; Emme Duranczyk 2 aces, 33 attacks, 6 kills, 16 digs; Chelsea Adcock 2 aces, 32 attacks, 15 kills, 12 digs; Chelsea Gruszynski 1 ace, 34 assists, 9 attacks, 2 kills, 29 digs; Ashley Hribek 2 assists, 1 kill, 4 digs, 3 block assistss; Sarah Lijewski 23 digs; Hailey Heideman 6 digs; Cassidy Viau 16 attacks, 8 kills, 1 block, 1 block assist; Erin Ivey 15 attacks, 5 kills, 2 digs, 3 blocks.