Class 1A No. 1 Orangewood Christian played without Ellie Enger, a contender for freshman All-American honors, for the first time this season on Tuesday night. And without its kills leader the Rams hit bumps in the road in a homecourt region final against fifth-ranked Trinity Catholic of Ocala.
But they found ways to come from behind in three consecutive games to beat the Celtics 21-25, 29-27, 25-17, 25-21 and earn their proud program’s 10th final four berth. The Rams, 26-4 with 11 consecutive wins, will play a state semifinal Monday at 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
The championship game is set for Wednesday at 10 a.m.
The other three regional winners were No. 3 Divine Savior Academy (29-1) of Miami-Dade County, No. 4 Tampa Prep (20-7) and No. 6 First Baptist (30-1) of Naples. The FHSAA will update the rankings to determine the matchups.
Enger, a 6-foot-2 setter who excels in all aspects of the game, was one of 17 players chosen for the inaugural USA Volleyball Girls 17U National Team, which is holding a training camp this week from Sunday through Saturday at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs.
“I think the girls were really nervous without Ellie, but we knew what we had to do against this team,” Orangewood’s 36-year coach, Diane Langmo, said after the rollercoaster match.
At the conclusion of the USAV workouts 12 players will be selected to represent the U.S. in the NORCECA Women’s U17 Continental Championship, set for Tuesday through Sunday next week in Costa Rica. If Enger makes that cut she will also miss the high school state tournament.
Enger leads the Rams in kills with 303 and has 343 assists, 191 digs, 46 blocks and 36 ace serves. She was an all-tournament pick at the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona, where Orangewood went 6-1.
“We were all bummed about that,” Orangewood junior Kaleigh Langmo said of playing without Enger. “But this win gives us a big boost of confidence. We just kept our composure”.
Winter Park edges Orangewood in clash of FHSAA girls volleyball state title contenders
Kaleigh (24 kills, 23 digs) and Kennedy Langmo (18 kills, 18 digs), coach Langmo’s twin daughters, powered the Rams offensive attacks and their senior sister Jenna came off the bench to deliver consecutive kills in a sequence that saw Orangewood erase Trinity Catholic’s 17-13 lead in the final set.
The Rams closed it out with Olivia Sosa making saves and setters Avery Herman and Mia Crowell dishing up assists for kills by Caroline Vargas and the twins.
Trinity (16-11), leading 1-0, had two match points in the second game but two crucial blocks by Orangewood ninth grader Sterling Wiepert saved the day.
Crowell, a sophomore, finished with 20 assists and 10 digs. Herman, a junior, delivered 22 assists. Vargas, a 6-foot-1 senior, had 11 kills and 3 blocks. Sosa, a sophomore, added 16 digs.
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
