Alba-Golden takes 5-setter

Posted 9/3/20

Sometimes you have to do it when the timing is just not there, sometimes when the backcourt has a great game one, but the frontline has a great game four. So, it is a struggle. Suddenly after playing …

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Alba-Golden takes 5-setter

Posted

Sometimes you have to do it when the timing is just not there, sometimes when the backcourt has a great game one, but the frontline has a great game four. So, it is a struggle. Suddenly after playing 184 points of volleyball, you have the shortened game five to determine the whole match.  

So it was in Alba-Golden on Tuesday as the Lady Panthers took on an equally-talented Big Sandy Lady Wildcat team.

After an excruciatingly-slow start in game one – a 14-25 loss – the Lady Panthers rebounded with a 27-25 win in game two and a business-like performance in a game three 25-20 win.

The Wildcats evened the match with a closely-contested 25-23 win, which forced the 15-point game five decider.

The Lady Panthers had to come from behind to take this match. Big Sandy held the momentum coming off the physical net play of their game four win. They accelerated to a 6-2 lead. After one of the longest volleys of the night which ended with a Big Sandy drop shot for the point, Coach Jamie Webster whistled a time out. 

Fatigue began to show in the Wildcats as they committed five mental errors in the closing moments. However, it was the aggressive play by the Lady Panthers which secured the match. The home side outscored the visitors 13-6 to take game five and the match.

A drop shot by Kaylee Anglin, a block by Kalli Wright, an Anglin ace and a Wright drop shot kept the momentum. An ace by Cacie Lennon and an emphatic kill by Wright wrapped up the victory. 

The Lady Panthers overcame much in this win. One could almost see the mindset of “can we do this?” slowly turn into “we can do this!” At one point in game 2, the bench was exhorting the team, “Breathe, breathe!” 

Of specific note was the ace production. Anglin, Crimson Bryant, Kayli Covey, Lennon and Hope Wiley recorded aces. Lennon and Wiley produced game-winning aces. 

They came through in a win which may set the course for the whole 2020 season.