VB: Lady Riders flat-footed against Kilgore
against Kilgore Tuesday night. She led her team in the
category with nine vs. the Lady Bulldogs. (Photo by John
Krueger)
CENTER -- With the start of District 18-3A volleyball action just over two weeks away, the Center Lady Riders aren't looking like a team that's ready to begin league play. The Lady Riders could only put together one sustained run, but otherwise appeared lethargic in a 3-1 setback to Kilgore here in Roughrider Gymnasium.
Center, which has dropped nine of its past 10 matches, fell to 2-9 on the season, heading into Thursday's action at the Woodville Tournament. The tourney will run through Saturday. CHS will be at home next Tuesday to battle San Augustine, with the junior varsity starting at 5 p.m.
It didn't take long for the Lady Riders to fall behind to the Lady Bulldogs as Kilgore ran off eight straight points to begin Game 1, recording three kills and putting Center in a hole. Center's Ashley Schulz, then recorded a kill and helped CHS score three points, but it wasn't long before Kilgore had run off eight out of nine points to take a commanding 18-4 advantage in the opening game.
Center did fight back, with Suzanne Peace recording a kill and Maria Valtierra adding one of her own and Peace and Stephanie Rodriguez both has streaks of outstanding serving before the Lady Bulldogs pulled away for the 25-15 opening-game win.
"I don't know what was going on with us in the first game; it was pretty frustrating to watch," said Center Head Coach Alicia Harding. "We just didn't come out ready to play at all."
The Lady Riders did bounce back in the second game by taking an early 11-4 lead. Schulz had three kills during the early stretch, while Requanah Patton served well.
The teams began trading points, with Kilgore inching to within 21-14 before the Lady Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run to cut the Center lead to 22-20. The Lady Bulldogs recorded three aces during that run.
But that was as close as KHS would come as the Lady Riders finished the game with three straight points, including a service ace by Valtierra and a block by Schulz and CHs evened the match with a 25-20 win.
"The difference between the first game and the second was that they actually started moving their feet," Harding added. "I told them - and will keep on telling them - that on defense its feet first. We have a tendency to reach with their hands and I have to keep telling them that they have to move their feet better."
Kilgore came right back in Game 3 by scoring seven of the first nine points to bolt out to a 7-2 lead. Center then was able to cut into the lead with excellent serving, cutting the Kilgore to 12-10, before going on a 5-0 run with Valtierra at the line to take a 15-12 lead.
Schulz, who led Center with nine kills, added one during the streak. But then the teams traded served before the Lady Riders came storming back to take an 18-15 lead.
But the Lady Bulldogs went on runs of 4-0 and 6-0 to end the game, taking a 25-21 decision and move out in front 2-1 in game scores.
"Overall, I don't think it was one thing that hurt us," Harding added. "I think it was more of them going on a run and us not being able to stop it," Harding described. "We couldn't seem to get them out of their rotation and that takes a lot of discipline. We have to be able to stop our opponents when they get on a run like they did, but it wasn't happening tonight."
After scoring the first point in the fourth game, Center dug itself another hole when Kilgore scored eight straight and KHS held a 9-2 lead. Schulz, Valtierra, Nichols and Chelsea Griffin all added kills to pull CHS to within 10-7, before the Lady Bulldogs widened the gap to 14-8.
Center cut the lead to 14-11, then Kilgore went on an offensive assault, scoring 10 of the next 17 points to take the win, 25-18, and secure the match win.
"We need to be able to stop our opponents when they get on a run like that," Harding insisted. "We didn't seem to control the offense well tonight and that would have meant more kill opportunities for us instead of just tipping the ball over (the net)."
Nichols and Valtierra both posted two service aces to lead Center, while Valtierra led Center with eight digs and Ashlyn Johnson had two blocks. Nichols led CHS with six assists.
The Center freshmen came away with a 2-1 victory over Kilgore. CHS dropped the first game, 25-12, before running off two straight victories, 25-10 and 25-20 to gain the win.
The Lady Rider junior varsity fell in consecutive close games to Kilgore on Tuesday, losing 25-20 and 25-23.