East Hardy Volleyball survived a rally in the first set before making adjustments on a straight set match victory over the Lady Wildcats in Franklin last Thursday: 26-24, 25-13, 25-16.
“We are really proud of their effort. We have been working on playing a really good 25 points, rather than playing some and relaxing. Playing the game full throttle is what we are working on. We struggled in the first game with that, but the second two we did much better getting into the groove. We were serving with power. This was probably the best game these two setters have had this season,” East Hardy coach Ashley Taylor noted.
The Lady Cougars started the match with two service points by Emily Moyers as Pendleton County struggled to return the ball in play.
A spike by McKenzie Arbaugh and an ace delivered by Katie Scott evened the first set for the Lady Wildcats.
East Hardy’s SierraMarie Miller notched a point as her attack was sent back into the net to regain the lead, then Rebecca Whetzel’s serve created a point as one defender touched the ball twice, 4-2.
Arbaugh notched a point, then the Lady Cougars notched six consecutive points with the help of some miscues.
A serve by Pendleton County’s Mariah Huffman landed in the net, then East Hardy’s Molly Yates had an attack returned out of bounds during the serve by Jessica Smith.
Miller blocked the attack of Arbaugh to add a point, then Smith’s serve was carried by the Lady Wildcats.
East Hardy’s Erin Riggle and Jaden Fleshman recorded points on kills for a 10-3 advantage.
The Lady Wildcats’ Emma Thompson made an attack and it wasn’t returned, then Fleshman responded with a point in the back corner.
Miller served an ace for the Lady Cougars, then Riggle blocked a shot for a point.
After a net error, Riggle made another block and Molly Yates delivered an ace to give East Hardy a 15-5 lead.
Miller and Perry Whetzel made digs to keep the ball in play, then Pendleton County’s next attack from Braelyn Tharp deflected off the dig attempt of Smith out of bounds.
East Hardy’s Rebecca Whetzel had an attack returned into the net before a serve by Fleshman hit the net, 16-7.
East Hardy went up 17-9 on a kill by Rebecca Whetzel, then the Lady Wildcats got points from Tharp and Scott (ace) plus a hitting error.
The digs on both sides of the net got the crowd pumped up more and Smith created a point as her shot was knocked back in the net.
Fleshman earned a point on a kill and Rebecca Whetzel served up an ace for a 20-13 score.
The Lady Cougars had a serve hit the net and two hits go awry as the deficit went down to 20-16.
Riggle’s attack was met by a dig from Pendleton County’s Kaley Sponaugle before Tharp redirected the ball into the net.
Smith served an ace to give East Hardy a 22-16 advantage, but the Lady Wildcats refused to go down quietly.
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Pendleton County started to change the momentum on a point by Thompson, then a serve by Tharp was returned into the net and an attack by Haley Moats ricocheted out.
Tharp served an ace and the next Lady Cougars attack sailed out as Pendleton County cut the deficit to 22-21 prior to a timeout.
Coming out of the break, East Hardy’s Jaden Fleshman recorded a kill to come within two points of the final set score.
The Lady Wildcats had an attack by Arbaugh rattle around before failing to rise over the net.
Smith made a dig off a serve from Pendleton County’s Shaniah Huffman, but the pass ricocheted off Fleshman into the net tying the contest.
Hoffman’s serve was returned out of bounds as the Lady Wildcats grabbed their first lead of the set, but the ensuing serve went awry knotting it up again, 24-all.
Yates delivered an ace and Riggle hammered home a spike to give the Lady Cougars a 26-24 victory.
Opening the second set, East Hardy’s Rebecca Whetzel’s attack wasn’t returned.
Perry Whetzel made a dig and Miller set Smith for a kill, then Miller had a serve deflect out of bounds on a dig attempt and Riggle added a point on an attack for a 4-nil lead.
Pendleton County rallied after a serve went out as Arbaugh got a spike, then Scott served an ace and Whetzel touched the net on an attack creating a 4-all score.
The Lady Wildcats took a brief lead as an attack by Scott was sent flying on a dig into the rafters and not redirected over the net, then the ensuing serve zipped out.
A block by Riggle and a service point from Rebecca Whetzel put East Hardy up 7-5.
Smith blocked an attack and earned another point on a kill for the Lady Cougars.
After a volley went out of bounds for East Hardy, Smith garnered a spike, 10-6.
Rebecca Whetzel blocked a shot and Yates served an ace to create a 15-8 advantage.
A save by the bench for Pendleton County’s Katie Scott launched over the net and a dive by Whetzel almost turned into a dig.
Pendleton County had a serve by Thompson hit the net, then a serve by East Hardy’s Jaden Fleshman was returned into the net.
Miller punched the ball over the net for a point as the Lady Cougars took an 18-9 lead.
The Lady Wildcats responded with a point by Scott and an ace from Sponaugle.
Smith made a dig and Miller launched an attack, but it was returned by Thompson and defended by Perry Whetzel leading to a kill by Smith.
Riggle tapped the ball over for a point, then Miller’s serve couldn’t be corralled as the ricochet hurled toward the bench with Scott attempting to reach the ball.
Miller stepped up to deliver two consecutive aces to build a 23-11 advantage.
East Hardy continued to get closer to winning this second set as Rebecca Whetzel launched an attack.
A volley by Pendleton County’s Chloe Miller was returned into the net, then Scott served an ace prior to ending the set serving into the net giving the Lady Cougars the 25-13 win.
The Lady Wildcats began the third set with a 2-nil lead own a point from Arbaugh and an error.
East Hardy’s Makenzie Blair notched a dig and the pass went to RIggle for an attack and the dig by Pendleton County’s Chloe Miller landed in the net.
Yates recorded a point, then Rebecca Whetzel delivered two consecutive aces to give East Hardy a 4-2 edge.
After a save attempt by SierraMarie Miller went awry for the Lady Cougars, Pendleton County’s Chloe Miller served up two aces before a carry by East Hardy.
An attack by Smith was too close to the net as her foot went underneath as Arbaugh jumped up defensively leading to a 7-4 Lady Wildcats lead.
The Lady Cougars rallied to tie the set at 7-all on a net error, then an ace from Smith and a kill by Fleshman.
East Hardy continued to climb for the lead as Riggle knocked down a kill, then Smith collected two more aces to go up 10-7.
A attack by Pendleton County’s Braelyn Tharp was redirected into the ceiling and saved by Miller, but eventually landed in the net.
A hit by Arbaugh was not returned, then Yates and Fleshman made digs before Miller recorded a spike.
A block by Arbaugh and a serve by Shaniah Huffman was returned into the net tying the set at 11 points apiece.
A handful of errors plus aces from Fleshman and Yates and attack points by Miller helped the Lady Cougars build a 20-13 advantage.
East Hardy went up 23-14 on a pair of aces by Miller, then the Lady Wildcats responded with a point by Regan Sites and service point by Scott.
Smith scored a point on a kill and the final match point came off a serve by Rebecca Whetzel as it was returned into the net giving the Lady Cougars the 25-16 third set and overall 3-nil match victory.
Pendleton County JV Volleyball defeated East Hardy 26-24 and 25-21.
East Hardy travels to Moorefield on Thursday and participates in the Pumpkin Smash at Hedgesville on Saturday.
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