By Stephen Smoot
Coming off a stretch in which Pendleton County stole a silver division title and then traveled to a Tygarts Valley triad match, the Wildcats hosted the Mountain Lions of Tucker County. Pendleton County represented the sixth game in nine days faced by the visitors.
One might say that both teams came into the contest tuckered out and it showed on both sides of the net.
Tucker County served first, but a set from Brynlynn Waggy to Alyssa Bennett secured the first point for the home squad. The Mountain Lions quickly tied the score, but the Wildcats took three of the next four points to build an early 4-2 lead that shortly thereafter grew into a 7-3 advantage.
The Mountain Lions brought a weapon in the person of Raven Matthews. Tall and gracefully athletic, she patrolled the net throughout the first set. Tucker County ran a number of plays through her to use her height advantage to spike on the Wildcats. Pendleton County adjusted by moving their players back from the net to make plays over and around, not through, Matthews.
Both teams played raggedly in the first set, each squad committing a number of unforced errors that were out of character for the home team. That said, Tucker County always seems to force Pendleton County into having to win ugly against them and last week served as no exception.
Tucker County exploded on a 6-0 run, relying on big plays at the net to help push the score into a 9-7 lead for them.
The Wildcats started to bounce back with plays by Breena Bowers and Baylee Beachler. Bowers scored her team’s eighth point by a well hit strike to the sideline. Beachler followed by tipping it to the middle of the defense. Tucker County gave the lead back, 10 to nine, by hitting the ball into the net.
Tucker County tied the game again with a spike, but a Bennett tap took the lead back in the first set for good. Beachler then angled the ball away from Matthews for another score. Matthews got a block at the net to close the Wildcat lead to one, but a Waggy set for a Beachler spike put the lead at 13-11.
This kicked off a crucial 5-0 run that gave the Wildcats room. One of the scores came when Emma Hartman rocketed a serve off of a Mountain Lion that caromed out of bounds for an ace. After that, Bowers fielded a hit, allowing Waggy to pop up a set for a precise Lizzie Alt spike and a 16-11 lead. Hartman followed with yet another ace as she continues to display service excellence.
Later in the set, Bowers served to Tucker County, leading to a spike attempt by Matthews. That spike found Bowers, who deftly returned the hit off of Matthews hands and ricocheted out of bounds for a 23-17 advantage.
A Hartman spike closed the first set as a Pendleton County win 25-17.
Matthews did not play in the following two sets, which allowed Pendleton County to adjust back to normal form. The Wildcats quickly took advantage by racking up the first five points of the set, Alt scoring the first for her team and then closing the early run with a spike.
Tucker County seemed able to battle back as it did in the first set, scoring three in a row. Pendleton County closed off that hope by scoring nine straight to seize control of the set. Avery Townsend tipped the ball to the middle to give her squad a 7-3 lead. Shortly after, Bowers scored an ace. Townsend then made two scores in a row, first smashing a hard spike off a Waggy set, then softly tapping the ball past the defender for a 14-3 lead.
Tucker County took over the serve when the Wildcats launched a ball out of bounds, but then fired their serve into the net. Callie Judy took the serve for the Wildcats. Two serves later, Judy took a pop up by Alt, set it back to Alt, and watched her teammate spike it to the back line for a 17-4 lead.
Not long after, Alt gave a brilliant show in her service. Taking over with a 19-7 lead, Alt scored four straight aces, the last one hit nothing but floor. Townsend later ended the set with a spike. Her team took the second set 25-10 and looked to be in command.
The visiting team had other plans.
Set number three started like the first, with Pendleton County scoring first, but seeing Tucker County answer right back. Early on, they played to a 4-4 tie, but Tucker County forged ahead. They maintained a strong lead through the set, leading 22-16 late. Then Alt scored on a tap to the middle, followed by Townsend making the same play. A block by Beachler and Waggy brought Pendleton County back within striking distance, but the Mountain Lions scored three of the next four to close the set.
Matthews returned briefly at the opening of the fourth set, but was quickly pulled from the floor. Bennett opened with the serve and Alt gained the first point with a spike. Next, Beachler popped the ball to Waggy, who set up Alt for a shot to the middle of the defense. Alt then hit the ball to the back line for a 3-0 lead.
Tucker County battled back. Matthews won a battle at the net to score her squad’s first point. Two plays later, however, Alt fired a shot off Matthews’ hands that went out of bounds and gave the Wildcats a 4-2 lead. Matthews exited the game again after that.
Later, Judy took the serve and scored an ace for a 6-3 lead. Although the Mountain Lions scored the next point, Pendleton County took command by scoring eight straight. Dominant play at the net by Beachler, Waggy, and Townsend helped to fuel the run. Alt also picked up an ace.
With Pendleton County in command 20-6, Matthews returned to the game. Beachler blocked her spike attempt shortly after to give her team a 22-6 lead. Shortly after, Olivia Gonshor hustled to keep a play alive so that Beachler could score on a hit to the middle.
The set and game closed out in a Wildcat win when Beachler spiked on Matthews and Alt scored game point on – what else – a spike.
On Tuesday, the Wildcats faced the Vikings from Petersburg. They are scheduled to travel to Tucker County today and to Highland County, Virginia, on Oct. 7 before facing Elkins at home on Oct. 8.
