Ada spikers split
By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada volleyball team hosted talented Arlington and local rival Hardin Northern Saturday morning in a non-league tri-match, and ended up splitting a pair of battles.
The Bulldogs (4- 4) swept HN and fell to the Lady Red Devils after a close first set to run their record to 4-4.
Ada beat HN 25-19, 25-20 to open the day's play. Senior Melina Woods led Ada over the Polar Bears with 12 kills, 10 digs and two blocks. Senior Nikki Lehsten added five kills.
Senior setter Maddie Gossard passed out 11 assists and made five digs. Senior libero Olivia Alexander hustled her way to 14 digs vs. Northern. Sophomore Sidney Gossard contributed five assists and two aces, while senior Kaiti Newland served a pair of aces.
"We were up for Hardin Northern," said Ada head coach Melissa Gossard, herself an HN alum. "All of our intensity went into that match and we were kind of flat vs. Arlington. Our serve receive was good vs. Hardin Northern."
Arlington then defeated HN in two games, clinching it with a 25-21 win in set two. The loss dropped the Lady Bears to 3-3.
The seesaw opening game of the Bulldog/Red Devil showdown was one of the best of the young season. Four successful attacks by Woods put Ada in front 6-3. Arlington then reeled off a 7-1 run to seize the lead.
Consecutive outside kills by Lehsten helped advance the score to 12-12. Sideline slams by Woods and Lehsten, followed by a Lehsten ace, helped Ada gain a 17-14 edge.
The Devils answered with a 4-0 spurt that was ended by a serve error that tied it 18-18. Three Arlington errors tied it again at 21-all. An Ada serve into the net, a Devil ace and a 'Dog miscue gave Arlington set point at 24-21.
Yet then the Bulldogs rallied. A serve into the net and a hitting error by the visitors got Ada within 24-23. Lehsten smashed a kill off a Devil block and Arlington hit long to give Ada set point, up 25-24.
But Alexander's string of four straight service points ended after a clutch kill by Devil senior Kylie Rausch. Next, the Bulldogs hit wide to put the visitors back on top in the back and forth battle, 26-25.
Then following a long rally, junior Hannah Willow rose up for a nice block kill off a Bulldog back row hit to give Arlington a hard-fought 27-25 win.
The Devils rode that game-ending momentum into set two as they captured a 9-4 lead. Two Woods kills and an ace by Sidney Gossard got Ada within 9-7.
Later on a kill by freshman Megan Light, a Lehsten smash and two block kills by Woods cut the deficit to 13-11. Woods slammed a kill to pull within one, but the hosts could not tie it up. Willow smacked a kill to ignite a 5-0 Red Devil flurry, and Ada never got truly close again.
Jenna Pepple came up with a tip and a kill, followed by another Willow slam. Sarah Solt served an ace that dropped in off the top of the net for a 20-13 lead.
Pepple then placed a kill just inside the back line to make it 22-14. Woods responded with a kill and a Devil hit into the net kept Ada alive, 22-16.
But then Andy Lafferty slammed a back row kill to quell any momentum. After an Ada error, Arlington closed the match with an ace on the sideline to finish off the 27-25, 25-16 win.
The athletic Devils improved to 5-1 following the Saturday sweep, with their lone loss a 3-0 defeat at Columbus Grove.
"Our serve receive was not good, and Arlington serve received well against us," pointed out Gossard. "We also tipped too much in the second set. Their back row read our tips."
Woods knocked down 11 kills vs. the Devils to go along with 13 digs. Lehsten contributed six kills. Maddie Gossard dished out 13 assists while Sidney Gossard dealt four aces and served five aces.
Libero Alexander mustered a dozen digs while defensive specialist Newland came up with seven digs.
After a nine-day break from match play, Ada (1-0 away, 3-4 home)will visit Perry Sept. 11. The Bulldogs then open defense of their NWC title Sept. 12 at home vs. Bluffton.
"I am happy with where we are," Gossard summed up. "All four of our losses have been to very good teams."
Ada girl kickers nipped by Rams
UPPER SANDUSKY - The visiting Ada girls soccer team played well but was edged 2-1 at Upper Sandusky Saturday morning.
Ada fell to 1-4 with the close defeat.
"We played our best game of the year from start to finish," said Lady Bulldog head coach Doug Poling. "The defense was much improved and worked better together. We played more aggressive, and had much better communication on the field."
Ada trailed 1-0 at halftime after a shot by senior Caitlyn Stover narrowly missed tying the match by ricocheting off the crossbar. The Bulldogs scored in half two on a 35-yard free kick by Hailey Callahan.
Ada senior keeper Anney Archer made 27 saves in goal. US out-shot the Bulldogs, 29-10.
Ada hosts county rival Riverdale Wednesday, September 6.
Ada linksters play at county Invite
KENTON - Ada competed in the five-team Hardin County Golf Invitational Saturday at the Kenton Golf Course.
Kenton won the event with a team score of 164. USV finished second (184), followed by Riverdale (218), Ridgemont (234) and Ada (249).
Alex Morgan paced Ada with a nine-hole score of 57. Rob Allison tallied a personal-best 60 to finish second among the Bulldogs.
Austin Amburgey carded a 61. Meanwhile, Brevin Sizemore and Ethan Hull each posted a 71.
Wildcat Racco Lonebrok was match medalist with a score of 37. Ram Brady Hipsher shot 39 to finish second.
Ada hosts Bluffton, Crestview and Paulding Sept. 5.
