Eisenhower won its first game of the season Thursday night, defeating Rocky Grove at home in a tight four-set Region 4 match, 25-16, 18-25, 25-21, 25-19.
The first set started out evenly-matched, with the two teams trading points. With the set tied at eight points each, the Knights went on a huge 17-8 run to close it out and give themselves some momentum at home.
Despite going down by double digits early in the second, the Knights battled back to make it a close set, but ultimately fell, evening the match at one set each.
Article Photos
Photo by Carl Leichtenberger
Net play
Youngsville’s Karissa Cratty goes up for a spike while teammates Aubree Hendrickson, left, and Emily McChesney, right, wait. Youngsville lost to Union City in three sets at Youngsville High School.
The third and fourth sets were both close throughout, with Ike coming out on the winning end both times to capture their first victory.
Ashley Barnett had 19 points for the Knights and Kelsey Repke added four kills and 17 points. Alyssa Peterson finished with 20 points, 12 blocks, and five kills.
"Ashley did a great job passing and digging, Kelsey always does a great job passing, and Jenna Jordan did a great job of setting," said Ike head coach Tina Edwards.
Ike's junior varsity team also came out on the winning side of its match, defeating the Orioles 25-14, 25-13. Chrissy Brunecz finished with 16 points.
The Knights (1-2) return to action next Tuesday, when they travel to Cambridge Springs.
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Venango Catholic 3,
Tidioute 0
Tidioute Charter falls to 1-3 overall with a 12-25, 9-25, 11-25 loss at Tidioute Community Charter School.
"We started out strong each game," said TCCS coach Margie Manning. "Our pace just slowed down... We have to learn to keep that pace going."
Ryleigh Mahaney had two kills, two blocks and two aces for Tidioute, Morgan Molek five assists, and Anna Lindemuth three kills, one ace and two digs.
Tidioute's junior varsity team fell, 20-25, 8-25. Tanya Krouse had six aces and teammate Emalei Schaberl one kill and one ace.
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Conneaut 3, Warren 0
LINESVILLE - With the merger of Linesville, Conneaut Lake and Conneaut Valley, the newly formed Conneaut volleyball team was able to take the best players from those three teams and create one extremely talented club.
That talented club made short work of Warren Thursday evening, handing the Dragons a 25-17, 25-15, 25-9 road loss.
According to Warren coach Mike Dolan, McKenzie Merenick had seven digs in the loss, Teah Bines added 11 assists and two aces, Brittni Merenick finished with three kills and two blocks and Allie Sedon contributed three kills.
In junior varsity play, Conneaut was a 25-10, 25-19 winner. Lizzy Marsh had two kills and Keyah Anderson four digs in defeat.
Warren (1-2) returns to the court Thursday, visiting Titusville.
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Kane 3, Sheffield 2
Sheffield gave what coach Traci Vile called its best effort in "years" Thursday, taking Kane to five games in a 3-2 marathon match loss to the Wolves at Sheffield Area High School.
After dropping the opener 25-20, Sheffield responded with wins of 25-21 and 25-20 in games two and three. Kane rallied back to win game four, 25-19 and also triumphed in the clincher, 15-8.
Despite the loss, Vile was ecstatic with her team's play.
"It was the best effort I've seen out of the girls in years," said Vile. "I was very pleased. I wish we could've come away with the victory, but I was very proud of the girls."
Abby Labesky led the Wolverines with 15 service points and Marlea Sprandle added 12. Brandi Rockwell finished with 12 kills and Hannah Vile added 23 assists.
Sheffield's junior varsity team was defeated 25-16, 25-18. The Wolverines visit Youngsville on Monday.
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Union City 3, Youngsville 0
Youngsville dropped to 1-2 on the season after a 3-0 loss to the Union City Bears Thursday at Youngsville High School.
"Our service game let us down again tonight," said Youngsville coach Bev Fox. "We missed a total of 10 serves tonight. Those are real momentum killers."
Youngsville was defeated 25-14, 25-18, 25-17.
Judi Lewis had eight service points for Youngsville and Jessica Jameson added five of her own. Kennedy Cratty finished with 18 digs and Aubree Hendrickson had 11 assists.
The Eagles' junior varsity team lost in three games, 25-18, 21-25, 8-15. Julie Jameson had 18 service points and 18 digs, Carrie Baker had 15 digs and 10 kills, Elyssa Horn had 11 service points, six kills and seven digs and Marissa Byler had 15 assists.
Youngsville will look for its second win Monday when it hosts Sheffield.