PRAIRIE GROVE -- Gravette had Prairie Grove on the ropes, leading 2-0 with a 7-1 advantage in game three, but the Sept. 27 volleyball match took a dramatic turn from that juncture.
Playing on the Lady Tigers' home court, Gravette found eliminating Prairie Grove was tricky. Hitting errors combined with a bad serve gave the Lady Tigers some life and four of the next five points. Prairie Grove would eventually take the lead at 11-10 on Anna Kidd's soft kill, something that gave Gravette trouble throughout three successive losses in games three (25-23) and four (25-18) plus the tiebreaker (15-9). The loss was disappointing for Gravette after they won the first two sets, 26-24 and 25-13. Gravette coach Katie Collins lamented the Lady Lions' inability at times to react to well-placed finesse hits by Prairie Grove.
"We've got to dig tips," Collins said. "They killed us with tips. That's what it came down to, the lack of tips."
In the first set, Gravette circumvented a Prairie Grove 24-22 lead. Satchel's kill and a bad set by Prairie Grove allowed the Lady Lions back in the game. Allie Callahan's ace put Gravette ahead, 25-24, and the Lady Lions won when Satchel beat down a kill. Prairie Grove appeared disheartened in game-two with Gravette, winning 25-13.
"They knew they blew it in the first set," said Prairie Grove coach Mat Stewart. "Obviously, Gravette made some good hits. Naturally, that will put you down a little bit. Mentally, we have to be tougher. If we want to become a good volleyball team, we've got to be able to overcome adversity."
Prairie Grove's 15-4 rally in game three stretched their advantage to 16-11 with Kidd's block-kill concluding the run. Gravette rebounded to tie the set at 17-all on Stephanie Pinter's kill, but then committed two hitting errors. Gravette was still in the game when a front-line player with her back to the net stepped on the line. The penalty point went to Prairie Grove for a 23-19 lead and the Lady Tigers reached game-point, catching Gravette off-guard on a second hit. The Lady Lions closed to within one, 24-23, before a service error ended their rally with the third set going to Prairie Grove, 25-23.
Gravette cut a six-point Prairie Grove lead to 17-16 with a 6-1 run in the fourth set. Hailee Gerner set for Misa Satchel, who delivered a kill, then a Prairie Grove dig went into the net; but Gravette was called on a fourth hit on the next volley, then couldn't recover from Gerwig's block at the net and fell behind, 19-16. Once more, during a crucial battle, the Lady Lions stepped across the line and Prairie Grove was awarded a point. The foot placement proved costly because Gerwig pounded another kill and thwarted a Lady Lion attack with a block-kill. Prairie Grove reached game-point, at 24-17, when the Lady Lions couldn't come up with a third hit. After a net serve, Gerwig polished off the set with a finesse kill. Prairie Grove won game-four, 25-18, to force a tiebreaker.
As the fifth set began, the teams traded blows like prize fighters trying to knock each other out. Gravette seized an early 5-3 lead on Satchel's block-kill but Prairie Grove scored six unanswered points, taking a 9-5 advantage. Satchel elevated, killing a Lady Tiger hit with a block. Again, Prairie Grove fashioned a 3-0 surge to lead, 12-6. Pinter broke the run with a kill and Kailee Midyett served an ace for Gravette which closed to within, 13-8, before Prairie Grove closed out the set and match on a pair of Gerwig hits.
Sports on 10/05/2016