For the past several seasons, the Edmonson County LadyCats have held a decisive edge over Grayson County in volleyball, but the tables seemed to have turned dramatically this season. Tuesday afternoon in the Cougar Den, the Lady Cougars demolished the LadyCats in straight sets, 25-5, 25-11, 25-16.
The JV Lady Cougars also grabbed a win over the LadyCats, this time in split sets, 21-11, 14-21, 21-10.
VARSITY MATCH
The first set was pretty much decided after senior Laura Higdon served the first 11 points of the game before the LadyCats even had the chance to possess the serve. Higdon served five aces in the run and sophomore Ella Robinson had the first two of her 13 kills on the day.
Leading 23-5, senior Olivia Lucas served an ace to take it to set point before an Edmonson hitting error gave the Lady Cougars the first-set win.
Robinson had four more kills in the early going of the second set, leading the Lady Cougars to a quick 10-2 lead. The LadyCats rallied back to within four points of the lead, 11-7, but that would be as close as they would get. A kill from senior Cherie Meredith gave the ball back to Grayson County and Lucas served five straight points, including an ace, to push the lead to 10 points, 17-7 and the LadyCats were never closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Robinson put away five more kills in the early going of the third set as the Lady Cougars again raced out to a 10-2 advantage. As they did in the second set, the LadyCats battled back to within four points of the lead at 12-8 but would not get closer.
Grayson County served a match-point at 24-14, but a hitting error gave the ball back to Edmonson County. An ace made it 24-16, but when the next serve was into the net, the Lady Cougars had the win.
JV MATCH
The first set was a back-and-forth affair, filled with rally points and little other scoring until sophomore Kenzie Skaggs took the serve for the Lady Cougars with her team trailing 9-10. Skaggs served four aces in a 9-0 Lady Cougar run that pushed the lead to 18-10 and put the first set on ice.
Leading 19-11, sophomore Brieanna Boll served back-to-back aces to put the first set into the win column.
After the two teams switched sides for the second set, the fortunes of the teams also switched sides. After falling behind 1-8 in the early going, the Lady Cougars were never closer than four points the rest of the set as the LadyCats knotted the match at a set apiece.
When Edmonson County won the coin toss for the third set, the Lady Cougars elected to return to the other side of the net, where they had won the first set so easily, and their mojo seemed to return. Tied at 1-1, Boll took the serve and reeled off seven straight points, including three aces, and the Lady Cougars were in charge once again, 8-1.
Three aces from the LadyCats’ Emily Grider paced an Edmonson comeback that pulled them within a point at 8-7.
The lead then see-sawed between one and two points until freshman Katie Skaggs served back-to-back aces to give the Lady Cougars a little breathing room at 13-9.
Grayson County maintained that lead until sophomore Lexi Brown took over the serve at 14-10, then served out for the win. Boll had a kill to start the run, then put away another on match-point to give the Lady Cougars the victory.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
