The JV Squad took the floor with their more experienced players for set 1 and it quickly became apparent that the change by Coach Ross made a big difference. Taylor Thompson opened up game 1 with a 9-0 burst -4 aces- that got the Hilltoppers in a commanding position right from the onset. Summit kept the pressure on with error free passing and offense and the team maintained that 10 pt. gap throughout as Kent Place was unable to muster any sustained momentum. SHS took game 1 25-11 after Thompson hit for another couple of aces in a 5-0 run that closed out game 1.
Coach Ross switched the lineup to feature the 9th graders in game 2 and the squad was competitive but inexperience and a lack of passing and serving consistency ultimately did the team in in game 2. SHS trailed early 5-2 and couldn't seem to break through that 3 point gap (10-7, 12-9, 15-12, 19-16) as key service errors kept Summit from achieving any sustained pressure. Down 19-16, Summit suffered yet again another service error which gave the ball to KP and the Dragons took advantage, going on a 4-0 run that pushed the lead to 23-16. Summit finished the game with a service error, a telling moment of a 25-17 game 2 loss.
The experienced crew was back out for game 3 and yet again Thompson got the Hilltoppers out to a good start with a 5-0 run (2 aces). A couple of rotations later, Summit had extended the lead to 9-3 behind a couple of kills by Christina Gangi and Katie Samay. The Hilltoppers kept that cushion through the mid-point of the match at 14-9 as Thompson could not expand the lead on her serve due to a key kill by Kent Place. Summit broke serve and broke the game wide open at that point with the serving of Nat Schluter who stepped up and served 7 straight points, including 2 aces, to close out the game and match 25-12.
The team is now 3W-4L.
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