DECATUR -- The Decatur Bulldogs junior and senior high girls' volleyball teams split a two-match schedule with a road trip to Lincoln on Sept. 6 and at home against their rivals from the north, the Gravette Lions, at Peterson Gym in Decatur on Sept. 8.
In Lincoln, the Decatur senior girls played an evenly-matched Wolves' team in their fourth conference game of the season.
The Bulldogs managed to stay ahead of the Wolves in the first set, taking the victory, 25-16. But the next two sets were among the hardest and evenly-matched play as both teams kept up with one another until the 23-point mark in the second set. Lincoln managed to get the two-point spread needed to take the second set, 25-23. In the closing points of the third set, the Bulldogs tied Lincoln at 26, but two quick points gave the set to the Wolves, 28-26.
Decatur fell into a slump during the fourth and final set, falling behind by 12 at the end of the set and giving the Wolves a 25-13 victory and the conference win.
In the second match of the week, the Gravette Lions were the next conference foe for the Decatur senior team. Last season the Bulldogs were on a five-game winning streak when they traveled to Gravette. The Lions proved too much for the Bulldogs and swept the three-set series and the victory, snapping the Bulldogs' opening season winning streak.
The Lions proved as tough in this match as they did last season, taking control of the first set. But the Bulldogs would not go down easily. They battled back to within four points of the Lions midway through the match. Several times the Lions and Bulldogs battled it out, with both teams dropping the ball into holes on the court for scores. But the Lions moved ahead of the Bulldogs to win the set, 25-19.
In one volley, Coral Frydrychowski intercepted a Gravette pass that was about to drop just inside of the Decatur court. This set up one of the longest volleys of the senior match. The ball passed over the net eight times before a Gravette setter sent the ball between two Decatur players. The ball would have dropped inside after the second pass had it not been for the quick action by Frydrychowski.
That was as close as Decatur came. Gravette took the last two sets, 25-13 and 25-7, for the match and another conference victory.
Gravette senior girls' team is now 3-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play. They return home Sept. 13 to take on the Lady Elks from Elkins. The Lions travel to Springdale to take on the Shiloh Christian Saints on Sept. 15 and the Huntsville Eagles on Sept. 19.
Other Decatur volleyball scores:
Junior high A lost to Gravette, 25-17 and 25-9.
Junior high B lost to Gravette, 25-3 and 25-4.
The Decatur Bulldogs are 1-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play. The Bulldogs go on the road to take on the West Fork Tigers on Sept. 13 and the Prairie Grove Tigers on Sept. 15. They return home Sept. 20 to play the Lady Elks.
West Fork 3,
Gravette 1
The Lady Lions didn't fare as well when the Westfork Lady Tigers visited on Sept. 6. The Lions fell, 25-22, in the first set, came back to win the second, 25-17, but then lost the next two by scores of 25-9 and 25-22.
At the end of last week, the Gravette girls were three and one in conference and three and three overall. The Lady Lions were scheduled to take on the Lady Elks in Gravette on Tuesday (after press time). They travel to Shiloh Christian in Springdale on Thursday for what promises to be a tough match.
Sports on 09/14/2016