Decatur volleyball ends first season on a high note

Photo by Mike Eckels Decatur’s Saidie Moydell (right) returns the Volleyball over the net as two Elkins players try for a block and return during the Bulldogs-Elks senior varsity volleyball match at Peterson Gym in Decatur Oct. 19. Elkins took the match, 3 sets to 1, handing Decatur its sixth lose of the season.
Photo by Mike Eckels Decatur’s Saidie Moydell (right) returns the Volleyball over the net as two Elkins players try for a block and return during the Bulldogs-Elks senior varsity volleyball match at Peterson Gym in Decatur Oct. 19. Elkins took the match, 3 sets to 1, handing Decatur its sixth lose of the season.

DECATUR -- The Decatur Lady Bulldog volleyball team split a two-game series with the Elkins Lady Elks, losing at home and winning at Elkins to end its first ever volleyball season on a high note.

The first game took place Oct. 19 at Peterson Gym in Decatur. This marked the last home game of the 2015 volleyball season.

Before the game, six seniors were recognized by Coaches Jessica Hartman and Jessi Castagna for their commitment to the volleyball program. Haley Burden, Noemi Garcia, Lidia Soto, Lizeth Fuentes, Celine Prelle and Pamela Garcia were given a big round of applause by the spectators as they each received a plague from the coaches.

The Lady Bulldog junior varsity started the match, losing the first set to the Lady Elks, 25 to 19. However, the team picked up the pace, winning the second set in a close one, 25 to 22, sending the match into a tie breaker. The Lady Bulldog junior varsity team made easy work of the third set, winning 15 to 9 and taking the match, 2 sets to 1.

In the senior varsity game at Peterson Gym, the Lady Bulldogs started the first set strong, gaining a 10-point advantage. After a timeout by Elkins, Decatur quickly lost the advantage and eventually the first set, 25 to 19.

In set two, Decatur quickly gained the upper hand as it once again took a nine-point lead. Elkins fought back to within two points before a run by the Lady Bulldogs finished the set. Decatur took the second set, 25 to 21. The third set was much tighter as both teams came on strong. The set was tied at 24 each when the Lady Elks took scored consecutive points to win the set, 26 to 24, giving them a 2-set-to-1 advantage. The win was not to be for the Lady Bulldogs as they began to fade halfway through the final set. The Lady Elks took the set, 25 to 12, and the match, 2 sets to 1. At this point, Decatur was 5 and 6 going into the final game of the season at Elkins.

It was all good news for the Bulldogs as they won both the junior and senior varsity matches (game stats were not available). This ended the Decatur Lady Bulldogs' first season with a 6 and 6 record.

What began as a simple dream of Mailee Xiong and Shaney Lee ended with a totally unexpected and highly successful first season.

"I really expected us to be 1 and something for this season," said Hartman. "I am really proud of the girls. Their efforts helped to make this first season a very memorable one for the Decatur volleyball program."

Sports on 10/28/2015