By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The host Ada volleyball team ran into streaking juggernaut Crestview and lost to the Northwest Conference leader in straight sets Thursday night.
Crestview improved to 10-4 and stayed atop the NWC at 6-0 with their ninth consecutive victory. All of the Knight losses were to MAC powers.
The 25-16, 25-15, 25-6 defeat dropped the Lady Bulldog overall record to 7-9 overall and 1-5 in NWC play. It was their seventh match in 12 days.
"We had one bad run in each set where we couldn't side out," said Bulldog third-year head coach Kyleigh Tabor said. "Crestview is very solid defensively and in serve receive. They have a lot of offensive options and kept us off balance with tips, especially Laci McCoy."
"I was pleased with our energy and focus," said Knight head coach Tammy Gregory. "Our goal is to win the NWC, and the girls knew Ada was the next team standing in the way.
"Our hitters did a nice job and have continued to step up. We never know who is going to step up and we have good team chemistry," she added.
The Bulldogs led 5-1 early in set one before Crestview called timeout and regrouped. The hitting of 6-2 Myia Etzler and McCoy played a key role as the Knights ended up winning the first game, 25-16.
A balanced Crestview attack was too much for the Bulldogs to handle.
Ada led 5-2 early in set two after a big kill by senior middle Megan Light. Kills by Kylie Acheson, Courtney Sumner and Light offset two by Etzler as the Bulldogs earned a 13-10 advantage.
But a sideline tip by McCoy ignited a game-changing 12-0 Crestview run. Bailey Gregory then served 11 consecutive points with aid from four kills by McCoy to seize control.
Ada finally stopped the flurry when Miranda Wills made a great diving one-armed save, and Light capped the point with a block kill to make it 22-14.
But Raegan Hammons hit a sideline smash off the top of the net that bounced in over an Ada defender. Cali Gregory authored a nice backhanded tip to reach game point.
After a serving error, Etzler drilled a kill to the back row that finished it, 25-15. The Knights ended the set on a 15-2 spurt.
In set three, the visitors raced to a 6-0 lead behind the serving of Cali Gregory and well-placed hitting by McCoy. Ada called timeout to try and stem the tide, but a tandem block by McCoy and Alexis Dull was followed by a hard ace from Cali Gregory.
Light got Ada on the board with a clean kill to the back sideline to make it 8-1. Yet a block and a clean kill by McCoy advanced the lead to 10-1.
A Knight serve error gave Ada a point, but the Bulldogs returned the favor. A big hit by Etzler made it 12-3. Bulldog Kylie Acheson answered with an outside attack that scored off a back row defender.
Crestview tipped wide to run the score to 12-5, but Etzler came up with a big kill and a successful tip for 14-5.
Bailey Gregory authored a southpaw tip, and Hammons fired an ace. A Wills kill was tipped and bounced out of play to cut the deficit to 16-6. Bailey Gregory executed a nice quick set tip, followed by consecutive hard-hit kills from McCoy that extended the lead to 20-6.
A clean tip and an ace from Etzler made it 22-6. The Knights won a long rally, and Ada hit into the net to reach match point. A block by McCoy settled the verdict, 25-6.
McCoy led all hitters with 20 kills, while Etzler contributed a dozen kills. Cali Gregory and Hammons each hit five kills.
Cali Gregory dished out 24 assists and Bailey added 18 helpers to go with nine digs. Kali Small, Cali Gregory and Hammons came up with five digs apiece.
Senior Light led Ada with seven kills, seven digs and three blocks. Senior Wills came up with 18 digs and seven assists.
Senior Acheson mustered 11 digs and knocked down three kills. Sophomore Sumner hustled up eight digs and had one kill.
Versatile blocker/setter Kirsten Poling missed her third match in a row due to illness.
The Ada girls are now 4-5 at home.
The Bulldog reserves beat Crestview 25-21, 25-14 to improve to 5-11.
It doesn't get any easier for Ada as they make the long trip to face third-place Paulding (10-3, 3-1 NWC) in another league bout Tuesday, October 6.
Ada (3-4 road) then visits last-place Spencerville (2-11, 0-5 NWC) Thursday, October 8.
Crestview hosts WBL foe Celina Saturday. They then face a showdown with local rival Lincolnview next Thursday in a battle between the top two teams in the league.
Crestview's last conference match is then against Paulding.
