The comeback queens were out in full force Monday at Warren Area High School. Both the Dragons and Eagles mounted big comebacks during their volleyball match, but in the end, it was Warren that held on for a hard-fought 3-2 win.
The largest margin of victory in any game was six points.
"I'd like to see us stay more focused when we have the lead," said Warren coach Mike Dolan. "The girls hung tough, though. They worked hard and kept their heads in the match."
Article Photos
Times Observer photo by Brian Hagberg
Getting a little push
Youngsville's Jessica Jameson passes a ball to one of her teammates during a girls volleyball game against Warren Tuesday at Warren Area High School. The Eagles fell to the Dragons, 3-2.
The Dragons were able to take the first game with a 25-20 win.
Warren (3-3) held a 14-9 lead in game two; Judi Lewis then served six straight points to give Youngsville a 15-14 lead. The Eagles were able to hang on for a 25-23 win in game two to even the match 1-1.
The Dragons looked as though they would dominate game three, racing out to a 20-4 lead. The Eagles (1-4) refused to quit as Amber Fox served 13 straight points to get Youngsville back in the game. Warren was able to hold off the rally for a 25-20 win.
"Our serve receive killed us tonight," said Youngsville coach Terry Schrader. "We didn't pass on the receive all night. We'd be right (in the game) and then get burned for four or five straight points."
Youngsville was able to build on the momentum gained in the third game, jumping out to a 10-3 lead in game four. Warren rallied to pull within three at 13-10. The Eagles were able to regain control to take a 23-14 lead. The Dragons again mounted a comeback with Ashley Barker serving five straight points to make it 23-19. Youngsville was able to hang on to send the match to a fifth game with a 25-20 win.
"The girls did a nice job rebounding from Youngsville's comeback in game three," Dolan said. "We had to comeback in game four and we were able to keep the momentum going into game five."
It looked like the Eagles had scored the first point in the final game, but a net violation gave the point, and the momentum to the Dragons.
Warren was able to take a 10-6 lead, and while the Eagles tried to mount another comeback, the Dragons were able to hold on for 15-9 win.
"We lost all the momentum (from game four) with the violation on the first point," Schrader said.
Rachel Lasecki led the Dragons with 15 kills. Valerie Latimer and Brittni Merenick each had seven kills and Merenick added three blocks. Rachel Hasselman and Barker both had four aces, while McKenzie Merenick chipped in with 29 digs.
Dolan added that Barker had a good game both serving and setting.
Abbey McLaughlin had 11 kills for the Eagles. Savanna Schoedel had nine kills, seven blocks, ten service points and 21 digs in the loss. Fox had 32 assists and 16 service points, Lewis added 15 service points and Jessica Jameson had 14 digs for Youngsville.
Youngsville won the JV game, 28-26 and 25-18.
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Ridgway 3, Sheffield 0
RIDGWAY - Sheffield fell to 0-7 overall against undefeated first-place Ridgway, 11-25, 10-25, 11-25, on Tuesday.
"The bottom line is, we feel we can play with them, but we didn't pass well tonight," said Sheffield coach Scott Olson.
The Lady Wolverines made a couple of unforced errors and serving errors, and a team like Ridgway will take advantage, he said. Ridgway had three nice runs over the course of the match, easily enough for the win.
Brandy Rockwell had three digs, Marlea Sprandle two kills, Juli Ely four blocks and two kills, Hannah Vile seven assists, Paige Moldovan six service points, two aces and three digs, Justine Barr seven digs and Anna Baldensperger two kills.
Erin Fry had 14 service points in Sheffield's 18-25, 26-24, 11-15 junior varsity loss.
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Ike 3, Rocky Grove 0
ROCKY GROVE - Lexi Dalrymple and Alyssa Peterson played a big role at the net, and Marion Sherer and Jessica Byrd served well, in Eisenhower's 25-18, 25-13, 25-21 sweep.
"We dug ourselves a hole," said Eisenhower coach Tom Firth, but the Knights worked their way out.
Dalrymple had nine kills and four blocks, and Peterson seven and six, respectively.
"I was quite pleased with the hustle," said Firth.
Ike lost the J.V. match, 23-25, 20-25.
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WCCS 3, CLA 1
Warren County Christian School handed Christian Life Academy its first loss of the year on Tuesday, in an 11-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-14 win.
The Lady Lions are now 7-1 overall and 6-1 and tied atop the New Penn Christian Conference.
Kaitlin Weidner had eight kills, and Allyssa Kerr and Dymphee Zortman 11 service points each for WCCS. Whitney Poindexter added 10 kills, Christina Girard 17 assists and Alivia Kelsey 16 digs.
Hunter Uplinger had nine points in a 25-13, 25-23 junior varsity win.