By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada volleyball team got back on the winning track with a convincing three-set sweep of visiting Perry Tuesday evening.
The 25-13, 25-13, 25-15 win sank the Commodores and upped the Lady Bulldog record to 3-2 this season. Perry dropped to 0-4 with the defeat.
"I think we played well and focused on our side of the net," said Ada head coach Kyleigh Tabor. "We eliminated the errors and kept our intensity up."
Ada jumped out an 8-3 lead in set one. Some Perry errors and a Courtney Sumner kill helped the Bulldogs build a lead of 14-8. Senior Megan Light then smacked a clean kill to extend the margin to 16-8.
Perry inched within 18-12, but Ada scored the next five points, capped by a Kylie Acheson service winner and a Kirsten Poling kill.
The Bulldogs closed it out 25-13 on a Commodore hitting error.
Ada's Lexi White began set two with an ace, followed by a Light kill. The hosts led 7-3 when a Poling dink shot dropped in. A kill by Miranda Wills and a Perry miscue made it 12-6.
Light authored a clean kill down the sideline, then added another smash cross-court for a 15-8 bulge. Sumner fired an ace and Acheson hit cross-court to make it 18-10.
A Poling tip and a Light back row hit that dropped in put Ada on top 22-13. Wills followed with a kill, and a Perry error set up game point. Sumner finished it off with a clean kill just inside the back line for another 25-13 win.
Ada led early in set three after a Wills kill, Sumner ace and a kill from Poling. A two-hand tip to the open back corner by Grace Allison helped advance the margin to 12-6. A Wills kill and a White ace made it 14-7.
A tip from Light and multiple serve receive errors gave Ada a 20-10 cushion. Poling then found a short opening with a left-handed tip. Selena Jordan's kill got the hosts to 24-13, but Perry saved two match points before finally succumbing, 25-15.
Light led Ada with seven kills, eight digs and two blocks. Wills contributed six kills, three digs and one block.
Senior Acheson hammered seven kills and mustered eight digs. Versatile junior Poling passed out 16 assists, knocked down five kills and came up with five digs.
Sophomore Courtney Sumner made 10 digs, knocked down three kills and dealt three aces. Junior White added five digs and two aces.
"We had a balanced effort," noted Tabor.
The Bulldog reserves also won in straight sets, 2-0.
Ada is scheduled to host Arlington Thursday night. The Bulldogs then entertain county foe Hardin Northern (1-2) Saturday, September 5 with a freshman match at 10 a.m., followed by JV and varsity.
That will conclude a tough week of four matches in six days. "Both of those matches are usually pretty competitive," said Tabor.
