By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The host Ada volleyball team won its first Northwest Conference match in four tough sets over Delphos Jefferson Thursday evening.
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 5-7 and 1-3 in the NWC with the come-from-behind 18-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-19 victory. DJ fell to 4-8 and 1-2 in NWC play with the defeat.
"I am proud that we finished off the match strong," said Bulldog second-year head coach Kyleigh Tabor. "We stressed eliminating errors after the first set."
DJ took set one 25-18 as low-energy Ada committed 13 errors.
"I told the girls to just take care of the ball and keep it in play," Tabor noted. "Let the other team make the errors."
Ada trailed game two 11-9 before a block kill and a two-hand tip by Megan Light sparked a 6-0 run. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 20-14, but scrappy DJ edged within 20-16.
A Wildcat miscue and an ace by Kendal Guagenti advanced the lead to 22-16. A carry miscue made it 23-17, yet DJ hung within striking distance at 24-20. Jefferson then hit into the net on set point as Ada evened the match, 1-1.
Two Light kills and a smash by Miranda Wills helped the hosts jump to a 4-1 lead in set three. Kirsten Poling then hit the sideline with a well-placed attack, followed by a quick reaction ricochet spike from Wills.
Wills knocked down a pair of cross court kills to lead 8-4. DJ rallied to tie it 9-9, yet a Light kill off a blocker gave Ada the lead back.
DJ hit wide after a long rally but the Wildcats came back to tie it, 12-12. Ada spurted back in front 15-13, capped by an overhead save from the back corner by Light that landed in just over the net.
DJ knotted it up again but the determined purple and gold would not fall behind. A Wills kill ended a rally, and then the junior sliced a good serve for a 17-15 edge. Light's big kill kept the hosts on top, 20-18.
Jefferson came back again to tie it 20-20 on consecutive clean kills. But once again Ada refused to relinquish the edge. Four Wildcat hits gave the Bulldogs the lead for good, followed by a Light ace.
A Bulldog tip block made it 23-20. A clever two-hand quick set by Aubrey Madison caught DJ flat-footed and fell in cleanly to earn game point. Delphos then hit off the top of the net and out of play to give Ada another 25-20 win and a 2-1 edge.
After a seesaw battle early in set four, DJ put together a short flurry to build a 14-10 lead. But then Ada started to rally. Josie Poling knocked down a kill, followed by a Wildcat error. Light hammered a big smash, yet DJ reeled off three points in a row.
A Wills kill ended the mini-spurt and reversed the momentum. Wills then converted a one-hand tip, and Ada tied it 18-18. The Bulldogs edged in front and took a 20-18 lead on a clutch Guagenti ace.
Following a Wildcat timeout, DJ hit into the net. After a Jefferson tip dropped in, Light's back row attack found the open spot for a 22-19 cushion.
Kylie Acheson's cross-court kill was tipped out of bounds. DJ then tipped wide to give Ada match point. Long-armed Kirsten Poling then came up with a well-timed block kill to clinch the 25-19 victory.
"It was nice to push through when we were down in the fourth set," Tabor noted. "We have had trouble finishing matches off.
"We were smart with our hits and placement in the fourth set. We kept the ball in play and let the other team make the mistakes," she added.
Junior middle Light led the Bulldogs with 22 kills, 17 digs, three blocks and one ace.
Junior Wills knocked down a season-high 15 kills and came up with 21 digs to go with one ace.
Senior libero Guagenti hustled up a career-best 33 digs and dealt four aces. Sophomore setter Kirsten Poling passed for 25 assists, made nine digs and came up with two blocks.
Versatile sophomore Madison had 10 digs, three kills, 16 assists and one block. Junior Acheson knocked down three kills and added a dozen digs. Josie Poling contributed five digs.
The Lady Bulldog reserves also won, 2-0.
Ada competes in the six-team Cory-Rawson Invitational Saturday, Sept. 21 starting at 9 a.m. Miller City (10-2) is the top seed, followed by Vanlue (7-3), Arcadia (10-2) and Ada.
The Bulldogs face Cory first, then play Arcadia and a team to be determined in their third match.
