DECATUR -- The Decatur Bulldog volleyball team traveled north on Sept. 21 to take on the Gravette Lady Lions in it's very first match between the two west-side schools. The match saw the Lady Lions snap the Lady Bulldogs' winning streak in three straight sets.
In the first set, the Lady Lions established their dominance with five straight points to gain the upper hand, 5 to 0. Though the Lady Bulldogs fought back and tied the score, 7 to 7, Gravette pulled out ahead and eventually took the first set, 25 to 12.
The second set was a completely different story. The Lady Bulldogs scored the first three points. Then Gravette came back to tie and take over the lead. At the half-way mark in the match, the Lady Bulldogs mounted a comeback, taking over the lead.
This caught the Lady Lions completely by surprise and Gravette players made several mistakes, adding to the Bulldog rally.
A Gravette timeout pulled the team together and the Lady Lions eventually came back to take the second set, 25 to 13.
The third set proved too much for the Lady Bulldogs, and they lost, 25 to 13, ending Decatur's five-game winning streak.
The Lady Bulldogs next match was against the Elkins Lady Elks at Peterson Gym in Decatur on Sept. 24. The junior high team won its first match in two sets, 25 to 20 and 25 to 11.
In the varsity game, the first two set went to Elkins, 25 to 20 and 25 to 20. In the third, the Decatur girls pulled out in front early but Elkins rallied back to take a commanding lead. A late rally pulled the Lady Bulldogs to within two points of taking the set, but they could not hold off Elkins and they lost the final set, 25 to 23, for their third loss of the season.
The Decatur girls are now 5 and 3 going into the last half of the season. They will travel to Charleston Sept. 28. for the third of a four-game series.
For a complete schedule of the remaining Bulldog volleyball matches, go to decatursd.com/athletics.
Sports on 09/30/2015