VB: Lady Bobcats earn revenge on Timpson
Saturday's district match against Gary. (Photo by John Krueger)
GARY, Tx -- Two squads that have been struggling to find their identity in the District 20-1A volleyball chase squared off Saturday morning here in Bobcat Gymnasium when Gary hosted Timpson. The Lady Bobcats avenged an earlier season setback to the Lady Bears by capturing a sweep, 25-18, 25-15, 25-21.
Neither team will be heading to the postseason this year, but they appeared determined that this rivalry between these two East Texas towns just 10 miles was going to be hard fought no matter what the teams' records.
With just three matches left in the regular season after Saturday's contest, Gary improved to 8-18 on the season, 2-8 in league play. The victory snapped a three-match losing skid. The Lady Bobcats will host San Augustine Tuesday (JV,V) at 4:30 p.m. in a nondistrict matchup, before finishing District 20-1A action at Carlisle (V - 4:30 p.m.) on Friday and at home against Karnack (V - 4:30 p.m.) on Oct. 25.
Timpson dipped to 9-23 on the year, dropping its fourth straight league encounter and now holds a 2-7 district record. The Lady Bears will host Carlisle Tuesday (V - 4:30 p.m.), travel to Karnack (V - 4:30 p.m.) on Friday and then host Beckville (JV,V - 4:30 p.m.) on Oct. 25 to close out the year.
This match wouldn't prove to be as close as the first time the two squads squared off on Sept. 20 when Timpson took a 3-2 win at home. But each game of this match went back and forth.
Set 1 of Saturday's match remained close throughout before the Lady Bobcats pulled away late for the 25-18 victory.
Gary began to slowly pull away in Set 2, holding a 17-10 lead. But the Lady Bears stormed back and fueled by Rachel Reeves' ace, Timpson pulled to within 17-13.
But once the Lady Bobcats got the serve back, they began to pull away once more. Bailey Reistad served a pair of points, including an ace, and then Brittany Odom stepped to the service line and served three points and added an ace of her own. That gave the Lady Bobcats a 24-14 lead and GHS won the set, 25-15.
The third set was once again close. Colby Ransom served a pair of aces and helped the Lady Bobcats lead early, 4-1. But after trailing 7-4, the Lady Bears began to creep back. Madilyn Sanford produced a pair of aces and Caitlyn Smith and Harley Martin both had kills as Timpson tied the set, 8-8.
After Odom served an ace and Heather Deason picked up a kill for Gary, the Bears' Madison Pierce stepped up and served five straight points, including a pair of aces, to put THS on top, 14-10.
It appeared as though Timpson might get back into the match as the Lady Bears led 17-12. But Ransom served three points and received two kills from Odom and then Josie Anderson finished off the Lady Bears with four aces as the Lady Bobcats took a 22-18 lead and then grabbed the set and the match, 25-21.