McClain volleyball wins in 3 sets over Hillsboro
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — Playing on their home court against a Highland County rival Hillsboro on Thursday night, the McClain Lady Tigers had to battle tough, but they were the victors in three straight sets for the Frontier Athletic Conference win.
McClain won by scores of 25-20, 25-17 and 29-27, with the third set the most competitive set of the match as Hillsboro made a comeback after trailing by a 16-8 score at one point in the set.
“The girls did a good job, and we had girls out there ready to go and wanting to win. The girls on the bench were really screaming and calling in or out, so it was a big team effort,” McClain head coach Taylor Alsop said. “Makenzie Montavon had the game of her life, but she’s a senior and really wanted it.
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“This is a big win for them. The girls were excited, and a lot of the girls stepped up. Jaelyn Pitzer stepped up for me, and she’s a sophomore. Taylor Butterbaugh and Cierra Bolender had a good game, and they all had a good night. Kaleigh Easter had some good sets. Again, it was a good effort from all of them.”
Before the epic third set, the Lady Tigers took the first set by five points as they were up by a 23-18 score, forcing the Lady Indians to call a timeout. Following the timeout, McClain eventually won with the 24th point from Cierra Bolender and the 25th point scored by Jaelyn Pitzer for the set one win as Pitzer finished the match with four aces and 11 kills.
The second set was competitive as it was tied at 9-9 and later at 14-14. Hillsboro led set two early on when a kill from Hope Middleton put HHS ahead by a 5-1 score. That was answered with a point by Pitzer and next a point from Makenzie Montavon. Montavon later tied the score at 9-9 with points eight and nine coming from serves. Montavon finished the match with six aces, four digs and eight kills.
On the same sequence of serving, Montavon had more points from serves, including aces along the way to a 12-9 lead for MHS. From there, HHS battled back to make it a 17-15 deficit with a point by Middleton, only to see the host Lady Tigers take a 25-17 advantage with aces and points off serves from Pitzer as MHS scored the final eight points of set two.
Then came the third set, which was a wild affair as the Lady Tigers built a 16-8 lead, but the Lady Indians didn’t fold and made it the most competitive set of the match, eventually tying the score at 17-17.
Hillsboro began their comeback with an ace by Paige Loudin, followed by a block at the net and later an ace by Middleton made it a 17-15 score. Later, the score went to 17-16 with MHS holding onto the lead following a point from Sydney Bobbitt at the net.
After the score was tied at 17, McClain jumped back ahead with a point by Pitzer. HHS tied the set with a kill by Bobbitt, only to see Bolender have a block at the net for a 19-18 advantage. MHS built a 21-18 lead with points by Montavon and Bolender, who finished the three-set match with six kills.
HHS tied the score at 21 with points by Bobbitt, Katie Condo and a hit out of play by MHS. HHS followed by hitting the ball out of play as well to push MHS back in front at 22-21. Once again, the set was tied, this time at 22 and later at 23 with a kill from Loudin, and that was following a point by Taylor Butterbaugh which broke the tie.
After the score was tied at 24 and 25, McClain’s Allara Spurlock gave MHS a point off a serve for a 26-25 lead. HHS called a timeout and tied the score at 26, then took the lead at 27-26 following a point by Middleton off a serve. HHS allowed MHS to tie the score after hitting their own net for a 27-27 score. Once regaining the serve, Pitzer ended the third set and the match with a kill, then scoring the final point for the final 29-27 score.
Also for MHS in the match, Ashley Hardesty totaled two aces, and Bolender also had an ace. Butterbaugh finished the match with four kills and 11 service receptions. Spurlock, Pitzer and Kaleigh Easter each finished with three digs.
McClain won by scores of 25-20, 25-17 and 29-27, with the third set the most competitive set of the match as Hillsboro made a comeback after trailing by a 16-8 score at one point in the set.
“The girls did a good job, and we had girls out there ready to go and wanting to win. The girls on the bench were really screaming and calling in or out, so it was a big team effort,” McClain head coach Taylor Alsop said. “Makenzie Montavon had the game of her life, but she’s a senior and really wanted it.
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“This is a big win for them. The girls were excited, and a lot of the girls stepped up. Jaelyn Pitzer stepped up for me, and she’s a sophomore. Taylor Butterbaugh and Cierra Bolender had a good game, and they all had a good night. Kaleigh Easter had some good sets. Again, it was a good effort from all of them.”
Before the epic third set, the Lady Tigers took the first set by five points as they were up by a 23-18 score, forcing the Lady Indians to call a timeout. Following the timeout, McClain eventually won with the 24th point from Cierra Bolender and the 25th point scored by Jaelyn Pitzer for the set one win as Pitzer finished the match with four aces and 11 kills.
The second set was competitive as it was tied at 9-9 and later at 14-14. Hillsboro led set two early on when a kill from Hope Middleton put HHS ahead by a 5-1 score. That was answered with a point by Pitzer and next a point from Makenzie Montavon. Montavon later tied the score at 9-9 with points eight and nine coming from serves. Montavon finished the match with six aces, four digs and eight kills.
On the same sequence of serving, Montavon had more points from serves, including aces along the way to a 12-9 lead for MHS. From there, HHS battled back to make it a 17-15 deficit with a point by Middleton, only to see the host Lady Tigers take a 25-17 advantage with aces and points off serves from Pitzer as MHS scored the final eight points of set two.
Then came the third set, which was a wild affair as the Lady Tigers built a 16-8 lead, but the Lady Indians didn’t fold and made it the most competitive set of the match, eventually tying the score at 17-17.
Hillsboro began their comeback with an ace by Paige Loudin, followed by a block at the net and later an ace by Middleton made it a 17-15 score. Later, the score went to 17-16 with MHS holding onto the lead following a point from Sydney Bobbitt at the net.
After the score was tied at 17, McClain jumped back ahead with a point by Pitzer. HHS tied the set with a kill by Bobbitt, only to see Bolender have a block at the net for a 19-18 advantage. MHS built a 21-18 lead with points by Montavon and Bolender, who finished the three-set match with six kills.
HHS tied the score at 21 with points by Bobbitt, Katie Condo and a hit out of play by MHS. HHS followed by hitting the ball out of play as well to push MHS back in front at 22-21. Once again, the set was tied, this time at 22 and later at 23 with a kill from Loudin, and that was following a point by Taylor Butterbaugh which broke the tie.
After the score was tied at 24 and 25, McClain’s Allara Spurlock gave MHS a point off a serve for a 26-25 lead. HHS called a timeout and tied the score at 26, then took the lead at 27-26 following a point by Middleton off a serve. HHS allowed MHS to tie the score after hitting their own net for a 27-27 score. Once regaining the serve, Pitzer ended the third set and the match with a kill, then scoring the final point for the final 29-27 score.
Also for MHS in the match, Ashley Hardesty totaled two aces, and Bolender also had an ace. Butterbaugh finished the match with four kills and 11 service receptions. Spurlock, Pitzer and Kaleigh Easter each finished with three digs.