Dispatching St. James in four sets last Monday night, Jamie Ridenhour’s Owensville Dutchgirl volleyball team found themselves one win away from ending a 41-year district title drought going all the way back to 1979.

Sullivan’s Lady Eagles were the only team standing between them and another year going up on the volleyball banner inside the Owensville High School gym.

Leading 24-22 in the third set with Sullivan serving, Dutchgirl sophomore Josie Gerlemann delivered the kill ‘heard round Owensville giving OHS their first district title in over four decades following their three-set win over Sullivan 25-22, 25-22 and 25-22.

“It was amazing, I’ve never felt anything like that before,” Gerlemann said after her kill gave Owensville their first district championship in volleyball since 1979.

Senior Emily McKinney helped the Dutchgirls with 11 kills in the title match. One of those ended the first set.

“I’m so excited,” McKinney said. “This is first time we’ve won districts in a very long time, it’s insane.”

After Sullivan upset top-seeded St. Clair in the district semifinals, McKinney and her Dutchgirl teammates were shocked.

“As soon as we heard Sullivan had beaten St. Clair, we were ready for them,” McKinney said.

Leading the majority of the opening set last Tuesday night, Gerlemann and McKinney combined for seven kills helping the Dutchgirls hold off a late Sullivan rally.

Serving the first two points of the second set, senior Grace McFalls added two more points in the middle stages of game two.

“All three sets were really intense and I’m just happy we were able to win a district title,” McFalls said. “We worked really well as a team and won it together.”

Grace finished the match with a team-high two aces to go along with 17 digs. She was among four Dutchgirls to reach double digits in digs against Sullivan.

“I’m so proud of the way our girls defended a very scrappy Sullivan team,” Ridenhour said.

Delivering a kill for the final point of game two, senior Haley Coello started the third set with a kill to send McFalls back behind the serving line.

“This was a big moment for us,” Coello said. “It had been 41 years since our last district title and now we can add a year to our banner.”

Coello finished the district title match with a team-high 14 kills. She also tied Gerlemann with a team-leading four blocks in the match.

Celebrating her birthday the night before in the district semifinals against St. James, Dutchgirl senior Cadi Ruth helped OHS dig their way to district championship hardware with a team-high 30 digs.

“It has been a goal since coach Ridenhour came in to get another number up on our banner,” Ruth said. “We played really well as a team and I could not be any more proud of all of my teammates for helping us win a district title.”

Spending most of her sophomore season on the junior varsity squad, Harley Pyrtle picked the right time to display her solid serving abilities.

“Harley stepped up big time for us serving,” Ridenhour said. “She had a big run of four in a row in the second set when Sullivan tied it.”

Setting up the majority of the kills during the district tournament, junior Kyla Hendrix dished out a team-high 27 assists. She was followed by sophomore Kylie Kitchen also in double figures in assists with 12. Kyla also registered double figures in digs with 10.

In their district semifinal win over St. James (25-21, 25-21, 23-25 and 25-22), Coello (15), McKinney (11) and McFalls (10) all reached double figures in kills.

Ruth and Kitchen both served up a match-high three aces against the Lady Tigers.