Cooler weather and the changing of leaves have brought a change in fortunes for the Wildcats in October. After leaving behind the murderer’s row of Class AAAA and AAA teams in September, Pendleton County is 6-3 in October, dropping games to Moorefield, Petersburg, and East Hardy while handling the other class A squads.
Thursday night, they entertained Pocahontas County and Union in a tri-match. This pits three teams against each other with victories coming in best two of three sets instead of three of five.
Competition opened with Pendleton County taking on the Pocahontas County Warriors. Kinsley Price got an early score to tie the game at one with a soft tap to the middle. Vaylee Harper then took the serve for the Wildcats. She sent over three aces to set the score at 4-1. Then she and Price played a two-man game. Price received the ball and sent it to Harper, who then set Price for a spike. Price not long after scored her own ace for an 8-3 lead.
Pendleton County ran away with the set early. The Warriors took the serve with an 11-5 score, but then Harper set up one of several spikes from Tia Heavner.
The set ended with Price returning to the serve. An ace and a spike from Alyssa Bennett sealed the win, 25-9.
Set two started as set one ended. The Warriors had the serve, but a Harper spike scored the initial point.
That did not mean that Pendleton County built a big lead quickly. Pocahontas County hustled to keep up with the home team, even pulling ahead 4-3. From that point, the Wildcats outscored them 13 to two to take a commanding advantage. The set ended, 25-9, with a Heavner two-hand block in the middle and a Price ace.
Union and Pendleton County’s matchup capped the evening. Prior to the game, Bennett was honored as the lone senior in the lineup. Her many accomplishments in her career include leading the entire state in aces last season.
Colbie Wimer stood in to serve for the home team and started the set with an ace. Harper got the serve not long after and scored four aces after a Bennett spike. Then, leading 7-1, Bennett fired a spike. Three more aces moved the advantage to 10-1. Remington George next popped a ball in for another point.
Late in the first set, Phoebe Pownell took over the serve and scored three aces in a row. Pendleton County won set one 25-8.
Union brought more to the second set. They did a better job of sustaining volleys and avoiding a storm of aces. Pendleton County also showed some fatigue in their fourth set of a long evening, Union brought more to the second set. They did a better job of sustaining volleys and avoiding a storm of aces.
Pendleton County also showed some fatigue in their fourth set of a long evening, making miscues that did not take place prior. The Wildcats and Tigers went back and forth early as the lead changed twice and the set tied five times.. The Wildcats and Tigers went back and forth early as the lead changed twice and the set tied five times.
Then the Wildcats got the serve up 10-9 and opened up a two-point advantage. Union came within one at 11-10, but started to fade after that. Bennett received the serve up 15-11 and scored two aces. Heavner then scored twice on a tap. Then a spike was set to her by Harper.
Late in the set, Heavner scored two aces to put the score at 24-13. A Union miscue ended the game at 25-14.
Monday, the Wildcats played their last regular season game at Elkins. The Tigers had three wins against 20 losses and two ties on the year. Wins came against North Marion and Tucker County.
Regional play began Wednesday with Pendleton hosting Union. If the Wildcats win, on Nov. 4 at home they will face the winner of the Tucker County and Pocahontas County match.
