HOLMES TOWNSHIP - Edison spotted Wynford the opening set then got rolling to win three-straight in a Division V sectional semifinal Tuesday in the Dr. Michael A. Johnson Gymnasium.
Wynford (10-13) took a 4-2 lead on kills by Natalie Adams and Brooke Frombaugh, then held off the Chargers 25-22 with Sydney Holbrook getting the winning kill.
But Edison (8-15) won the next three 25-23, 25-18, 25-17 to advance to Thursday's sectional championship at Colonel Crawford (17-5).
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"The first set was one of our best sets in a while," Wynford coach Donielle Crall said. "We've been a pretty competitive team taking Buckeye Central to five ... we're just very inconsistent and that showed tonight.
"We came out strong and wanted to play, but then let off the gas and didn't swing the way we should have."
Frombaugh had 10 kills, Sydney Holbrook added nine, and Cali Holbrook six.
Edison took over early in set two as senior Macari Harris had several kills for the Chargers. And after leading 10-5, Wynford rallied to tie it at 15 on an Adams point and some help from fellow middle hitter Peyton Werner.
The hosts tied it at 23 on a Cali Holbrook kill, but Edison freshman Reese Wells punctuated the win from the right side of the net.
"Both teams were nervous in the beginning and you saw a lot of free balls back and forth," Edison coach Sean Hoover said. "We did a nice job of getting ourselves under control and, to be honest, we've been good at that all year. I was confident the girls would brush it off and keep playing."
Wells led the Chargers with 18 kills, Harris and Abby Cloud added 10 each; Peyton Bissell had 30 assists.
The Chargers started red-hot in the third set going up 5-0 before Wynford rallied to tie it at 8-8. Several errors hurt the Lady Royals and Cloud made them pay. The fourth set was tied five times in the first 12 points before a 9-2 run closed it out.
Edison, the eight-seed, takes on two-seed Colonel Crawford for a berth in the district tournament.
"Tournament time is different and it's good to get that first one under our belts," Hoover said. "We had a choice and we didn't want to play Crawford. But we didn't want to play Huron. We played them twice, but honestly haven't played too badly against them.
"If we play every point for what it's worth, we can hopefully go there and give them a good battle."
Crall is losing three stellar seniors in Frombaugh, Cali Holbrook and Madisyn Watkins.
"Definitely talented girls that wanted to work hard," Crall said. "A year ago we didn't even know if Brooke would see the volleyball court. But she worked her tail off and it showed.
"I think volleyball is Brooke's favorite sport and hopefully we see her playing at the next level. Those three have worked hard. I watched Madisyn grow up in my two years here and the hard work and improvements she has shown, even with that black eye from the other night."
Frombaugh got her 1,000th career kill in last week's loss to Carey to go along with 1,000 digs achieved earlier in the season, Watkins had over 1,000 assists.
Still, Wynford will return a host of experienced players next fall.
"We played with a freshman, sophomores and a couple of juniors," Crall said. "Kate McGuire is back and she will be one to stand out next year. Others are coming along ... (sophomore) Paige Sheldon, we weren't sure what we would see at the beginning of the season. But she came out and is swinging just as hard as Sydney and Cali and Brooke. She worked hard all season.
"None of them ever quit — even when we're down 12 — and that's a credit to them."
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Wynford bows out of postseason with loss to Edison in sectional semis