The Summit Lady Hilltoppers faced off versus the Farmers of Union High in a divisional matchup that had all the makings of an epic battle. Summit had just defeated the Raiders of SPF for the first time in at least 8 tries and Union had just had a massive victory over the Ridge Red Devils so both teams seemed poised for a great match.
The beginning of set 1 was an auspicious one for the Top as the team found itself down 4-0 in a blink of an eye but the Top responded with a 4-1 run of their own with Hannah Barlow notching an ace and a kill while Cece Webb got a key block to put Summit right back into the set only down 5-4. The teams engaged in some rallies and also a rash of early unforced errors over the next few rotations and the separation had grown to 3 at 6-9 when Vivian Roberts had a tip kill that sparked a 7-0 run (Roberts, Julia Nardino kills, Webb ace). Union called a TO to slow down the Hilltoppers but off the break Summit looked to Nardino who put down an overpass for a 14-9 lead. A service break was a momentary pause in the SHS momentum as Farmers returned the ball back to the Top with a serving error. That was the beginning of another long SHS run that saw Roberts put the Farmers under tremendous pressure with her serving that yielded 2 aces in the run. Union used their last TO at 21-10 but again Summit came off the pause with 2 consecutive aces by Roberts which all but sealed the deal at 23-10. Barlow and Alison Wauters each struck for a kill and Nardino added another block to close out the set 25-13.
The team knew the Farmers had not played up to the level that had beaten Ridge on Monday but they soon found themselves against the wall as Union found their best form when it counted in set 2. SHS found themselves down 12-6 in rotation 4 forcing a TO by Coach Martins but it took one more point before the Top got the serve back down 13-6. Barlow clicked off 2 kills as Roberts was once again doing damage from the service line adding one ace to a run that had Summit back in business at 10-13. Summit and Union traded points over the next rotation and SHS was again within 3 at 13-16 but a service error by the Top gave Union the opportunity it needed to pull away and they took it with a 3-0 run that saw SHS commit 2 more unforced errors and give the Farmers a 19-13 lead. The Hilltoppers kept fighting back though and a 4-1 run (Barlow 2 kills, Roberts 1 kill) had Unioin calling a TO with the Top again within 3 at 17-20. But this time, the team responding after the TO was Union and a 3-0 run all but sealed the fate of the visitors. Summit got 2 forced errors out of Union and a kill by Barlow to get to 20-23 but that was as close as the squad got and the Farmers took set 2 25-20. Union deserved the set with a scoring advantage of 16-12, nearly the separation of the final set score.
The deciding set saw the Top come out like fire with a 4-1 run that was fueled by two kills by Barlow and one kill by Wauters. Midway through the set, despite mini runs by the Farmers, SHS held a 4 point gap after a Nardino block and a Roberts kill. But this was the turning point of the game, and not a good one for the Hilltoppers.
A hitting error by Summit began the avalanche. Union then ripped 2 kills after tough serving kept the SHS offense at bay. A net error by the Top and another ace and kill by Union and the home team had effectively taken control of the match at 14-11. A TO by Coach Martins did not stem the tide as Union ripped another kill until finally the Farmers missed a serve to end the run that started with Summit ahead 11-7 but ended with the Hilltoppers down 15-12. Barlow tried to continue the brief momentum gained by the missed serve with a kill but the teams were in evenly matched rotations and the points traded by each team kept pushing Union close to the win and Summit closer to defeat.
Down 3, Barlow put down a crucial tip and there was hope still at 15-17 but an unforced net error and ace later, Coach Martins called a TO as the Farmers had extended the lead back 4 at 19-15. Summit reacted well off the time-out with a good reception by Roberts that helped Zoe Zacharias set up Wauters with a crucial kill to give Summit hope at 16-19. Roberts then had a huge stuff block that had the squad erupt with emotion but an untimely service error stopped the momentum at 17-20. A hitting error followed and Union was back up by 4 at 21-17. Roberts finished off a long rally to get SHS to 18-21 and another long rally ensued that had Summit attempt 5 attacks to no avail but at least it forced Union into bad attacking options which finally yielded an error to get SHS within 2. Wauters followed it up with a blistering serve that forced a freeball return and Roberts ripped a shot that was dug in desperation but the Farmers were in scramble mode and failed to get the ball over forcing the TO by the home team and Summit found itself only down 21-20. Unfortunately, Union came off the TO and stymied a Hilltopper attack which then led to an ace by the Farmers and just like that, 23-20. An error again saved the Top and Webb got a huge pressurized serve over to force the Farmers to try to score. Roberts dug an outside attack and then finished the play off to get Summit right back again at 22-23 but a kill by the Union Farmers gave them a 2 point lead and two match points which they would not waste. Summit had 4 attack attempts to stave off the match point but were unable to convert and an anti-climactic net error ended the comeback.
The teams scored 14 points apiece in the set but Union generated one more ace and kill in the later stages of the match which proved to be the difference. For the match, Union outscored the Top 44-41, which speaks to how close this match really was throughout despite the first set.
Credit where credit is due... Union faced 89 Summit attacks and the Top could only muster 25 kills. SHS was outstanding with only 11 hitting errors for the match but the Union "D" and timely offense was the difference late, creating that small point separation they needed for the win.
Match Statistical Leaders:
Serving: Roberts 5 aces, 2.80 rating
Receiving (Perfect Passes): Roberts 6
Receiving (Pass Rating): Roberts 2.55
Attack (Kills): Barlow 15
Attack (Kill %): Barlow 48.4%
Attack (Efficiency): Barlow .387
Defense (Blocks): Nardino, Webb, Roberts 2
Defense (Digs): Wauters, Barlow 9
No comments:
Post a Comment