WATERFORD - The game of volleyball is often a game of runs, counter-runs and stopping runs.
Which team gets their run at the right time, or stops an opponent's run, can often times take home a victory.
Such was certainly the case at Waterford Elementary School Wednesday night as the host Lady Wildcats knocked off the visiting Frontier Lady Cougars in three games 25-18, 25-12, 25-18.
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Waterford v frontier start
"I thought we pulled through and came out with a good win," said Waterford senior Kim Barker, who had a game high 11 kills in the match.
To get that "good win" the Lady Wildcats had to make the most of the runs they created with a balanced attack at the net.
On the night Waterford had five different girls record five kills or more lead by Barker's nine while Brooke Drayer had seven.
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KEVIN PIERSON The Marietta Times
Waterford's Alicia Donahue (6) puts up a spike against the defense of Frontier's Cameron Wolfe (32) during a volleyball match at Waterford Elementary School Wednesday night. Waterford won in three games.
"The key is being able to mix it up and our setters do that so well," said Waterford volleyball coach Jandy Drayer.
Barker and Brooke Drayer may have been pounding spikes in the middle of the court, but the Lady Wildcats didn't restrict themselves to the center. They also went outside with regularity.
"We were really mixing our sets up. Our outside and our backside was wide open," Barker explained.
Conversely Frontier had just two girls with more than two kills in Ashley Kimble and Kelsie Rinard, who had eight and six kills respectively.
"We weren't consistent," Kimble said.
The Lady 'Cats also had five different girls score five points or more from the service stripe and strong serving helped create the first of the Lady Wildcats' runs as Waterford pulled out to a 6-1 lead in the night's first game.
But, like any good volleyball team does, Frontier clawed right back with a run of its own, closing to within a single point at 7-6 on a kill from Mackenzie Haessly.
A back and forth battle ensued for a few points as neither team could pull away. Waterford lead by four at 14-10 on a Barker kill only watch Frontier tie the game at 14-14 when a Lady Wildcat spike sailed out of bounds.
Coming out of a timeout, the Lady Wildcats determined it was their game to win and they promptly tallied 11 of the next 15 points to close out the night's first game on a kill from Marissa Schott, capping off another key run.
"It was very important for us to get on those (runs)," Barker said.
The second game of the night proved to be just one long, long Waterford run as the Lady Wildcats completely dominated the net en route to a 25-12 win.
Staked to an early 8-1 lead the Lady Wildcats never let Frontier back into the contest as just once did the lead drop below five points, at 14-10 when Waterford clanked a hit into the net.
From there it was just another run as Waterford tallied 11 of the final 13 points to close out the game.
The third game, the Lady Cougars showed they still had some fire left in their claws.
"I think the third game we did really well," Kimble said. "We came (to play) too late."
Frontier began the final game of the evening with a 2-0 lead on an ace from Kelsie Rinard only to watch Waterford tie the score at 2-2.
It wasn't until Chelsey Paxton knocked down one of her seven kills to make the score 8-7 that the Lady Wildcats took the lead in the third game.
That lead for Waterford expanded a bit to 12-7 on another kill from Paxton, but once again Frontier had an answer.
The Lady Cougars scored five straight points to tie the game at 12-12 on an ace from Haessly. The match would be tied again at 13-13, 14-14, 15-15 and 18-18 before Waterford was finally able to put the pesky Lady Cougars away with the final run of the night.
Waterford scored the final seven points of the game to end the contest as junior Emily Brown pounded one of her seven kills to set the final score 25-18.
Combine precise passing with the setting of Hannah Offenberger and Alyssa Miller, who had 14 and 19 assists respectively, and it was easy to see why the Lady 'Cats had success at the net.
"Our passers did a great job passing the ball to the net. That's where it all starts," coach Drayer said.
Now all they have to do is continue it.
Waterford def. Frontier
25-18, 25-12, 25-18
FRONTIER (2-5): Ashley Kimble 1 pt 1 assist 8 kills 2 blocks; Hilary Thacker 2 pts; Heidi McPeek 3 pts 1 assist 2 kills 2 blocks; Makayla Marlow 1 pt 6 assists; Cameron Wolfe 2 pts 1 kill; Mackenzie Haessly 5 pts 1 ace 2 kills 6 blocks; Kelsie Rinard 6 pts 2 aces 6 kills; Kaylee Hurst 3 pts 1 ace 5 assists
WATERFORD (7-2): Kim Barker 4 pts 1 ace 11 kills 3 blocks 6 digs; Emily Brown 7 kills 2 blocks; Alicia Donahue 2 kills; Brooke Drayer 5 pts 1 ace 8 kills 3 blocks; Alysssa Miller 12 pts 1 ace 19 assists 1 dig; Hannah Offenberger 8 pts 2 aces 14 assists; Chelsey Paxton 8 pts 2 aces 7 kills; Marissa Schott 1 assist 2 kills; Kaitlin Pottmeyer 5 kills; Tana Wallace 12 pts 2 aces 10 digs
Next game: Southern at Waterford, 6 p.m. today; Beallsville at Frontier, 5:30 p.m. today.
Cadets beat Noles
The Fort Frye Lady Cadets handed the Monroe Central Lady Seminoles their first Pioneer Valley Conference play with a three game sweep at Skyvue Elementary School Wednesday night.
Fort Frye, which knocked off Monroe at Fort Frye earlier this year, built early leads before allowing the Lady 'Noles to make the game close at the Lady Cadets took a 25-22, 25-23, 25-21 win.
"We covered the floor pretty good," said Fort Frye volleyball coach Becky Stewart.
Kayley Stephens had 15 kills for Monroe Central while senior Alex Kuhn had a team high 18 points and eight aces to go with 38 digs.
Deidra Combs led Fort Frye with 13 points and Lacey Huck chipped in with 12 points in the win for the Lady Cadets.
Huck also recorded 22 digs while Kelsey Hanson had 21 digs. Combs chipped in 12 digs.
"Lacey Huck and Deidra Combs showed up to play ball tonight, all the way around the net," Stewart said.
Fort Frye def. Monroe Central
25-22, 25-23, 25-21
FORT FRYE (4-3): Deidra Combs 13 pts 1 kill 12 digs; Kelsey Hanson 1 assist 21 digs; Sammi Hanson 3 pts 1 kill 6 blocks 4 digs; Allison Hesson 8 pts 1 assist; Lacey Huck 12 pts 2 aces 1 block 22 digs; Jana King 2 pts 2 blocks 1 kill 4 digs; Hannah Schott 1 pt 4 assists; Bailey Thieman 5 pts 1 ace 12 digs; Emilie Vandenberg 2 pts 2 kills 1 block 2 digs; Kelsie Watson 2 pts 2 kills 1 block 7 digs
MONROE CENTRAL (6-2, 3-1 PVC): Kayley Stephens 15 kills 7 blocks; Chelsie Roberts 4 kills 27 digs; Melissa Stimpert 5 assists; Asia Prickett 4 assists; Alex Kuhn 18 pts 8 aces 38 digs; Jennifer Hayes 9 pts 2 aces; Kate Fickell 2 blocks; Hillary Wilson 2 blocks
Next game: Buckeye Trail at Monroe Central, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday; Fort Frye at Martins Ferry, 10 a.m. Saturday
MONROE CENTRAL (6-2, 3-1 PVC): Kayley Stephens 15 kills 7 blocks; Chelsie Roberts 4 kills 27 digs; Melissa Stimpert 5 assists; Asia Prickett 4 assists; Alex Kuhn 18 pts 8 aces 38 digs; Jennifer Hayes 9 pts 2 aces; Kate Fickell 2 blocks; Hillary Wilson 2 blocks
