Lady Mustangs win rivalry match over Fairfield

DODSONVILLE — After the Fairfield Lady Lions gained the first game win over the host Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs, the hosts turned up their level of play and won the next three to gain the match win.

LC won the second through fourth games by scores of 25-13, 25-19 and 25-21, while FHS won the first game by a 25-10 score.

The win by LC moves them to 8-7 overall and 5-3 in the SHAC.

"I think we were feeling a little too good about ourselves in the first game," LC head coach Mark Faust said. "We came in winning three matches in a row. I told the girls Friday night after we won that Fairfield was going to be better, and I told them Monday in practice.

"Fairfield came ready to play. We'll take it, but I'm not really happy with the way we played."

The Lady Lions made the first game, and the match, very interesting with a 3-0 lead to start things off, followed by a 12-4 lead, as some of those 12 points came from Kami Magee and Hannah Putnam.

Later in the first game, Putnam had consecutive serves that put the Lady Lions in front at 16-5, and as the first game continued, Casey Carter and a big spike from Ciara Knisley led to FHS leading 20-6.

The final point of the first game came with an ace from Blake Adams.

Game two was the opposite for each team, as LC won 25-13, with LC jumping out to a 4-0 lead, with LC never trailing in the second game.

LC's Makayla Creed, Kylie Camp and Tylar Griffith all contributed to the early lead, and later points from Hannah Magie, Abby Blankenship and a serve from Camp pushed the Lady Mustangs' advantage to 8-2.

Emily Roush and Hannah Morgan showed some tough play with a block at the net and a kill for a 10-5 lead for LC, then a big hit from Magie gave LC a 12-5 advantage.

"I thought Emily played really well," Faust said. "We've had her in a couple spots, but tonight she was really active at the net, played well defensively and saved a couple points by getting a couple digs out of the net. I was really happy with how she played."

With the second game continuing in factor of LC, Creed put the hosts in front at 18-9, and the final four points of the game were all Lady Mustangs with the game ending on a ace from Camp.

The third game was tied twice at 5-5 and 14-14, though LC didn't have the lead until they broke the 5-5 tie with a point at the net from Magie.

As game three continued, Magie put LC in front at 16-14 and later at 21-18 with a kill. LC later gained a 23-19 lead with points by Roush, eventually leading to the 2-1 match advantage.

Game four was very close, having seven ties, including at 21-21. In that game, LC called a timeout after the Lady Lions tied the score. Following the timeout, LC scored five straight points to win the game and match, with the game ending on a play at the net from Camp. Also in those points, Griffith and Creed contributed to the lead.

"Some of the things we've been getting better at is finishing games," Faust said. "When we got to 21-21, I thought we just have to be tougher, and we have to find a way to win.

"We are getting in these situations where we need to get over the hump, and if we want to do well the rest of the year, we have to win those close scores."