By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School varsity volleyball team captured its 2023 home opener with a dominating sweep of visiting Arcadia on a hot Monday evening, August 21.
The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 after posting a decisive 25-14, 25-4, 25-14 non-conference victory.
“I am proud of how we didn’t let up and stayed intense,” said Ada head coach Kyleigh Woodruff. “We worked well together, had good communication and good energy.
“We ran a lot of free-ball plays,” she added.
Ada won the first game 25-14 and was never seriously threatened.
Senior Daicy Robinson started set two with a kill. Classmate Mariah King placed a clean kill to the back corner. Ada then extended its lead to 7-1.
A quick set tip by senior Autumn Andreasen made it 8-3 and brought Jenna Bassitt to serve. The junior libero reeled off 16 consecutive points to advance the Bulldogs to set point at 24-4.
“Jenna was on a serving roll there,” said Woodruff.
Back-to-back kills by King and a southpaw tip by Andreasen highlighted the run as Bassitt served multiple aces and service winners.
Arcadia saved one game point to end the Bassitt run. But Ada won on four hits to clinch the set, 25-4.
The Redskin girls inched ahead 3-2 early in set three. Ada regained the lead, and freshman Anna Conley served an ace for a 5-3 edge.
Scrappy Arcadia tied it 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 and 8-8. The Bulldogs inched in front 10-8 and never relinquished the lead. Ada won a long rally for 12-9. A Dailah Preston block kill pushed the hosts ahead, 14-9.
Robinson’s blind overhead bump ended a rally and increased the margin to 18-11. A hard Tess Griffith kill landed just inside the sideline. Robinson found the open middle with a soft kill for a 20-12 lead.
King’s cross-court kill made it 21-12. Bassitt served four points in a row to help provide a 24-12 cushion.
Arcadia staved off two match points, but King ended the match with a clinching kill.
Bulldog setter Andreasen passed out 20 assists for the second straight match. She also knocked down seven kills and came up with 10 digs.
Senior southpaw hitter King hammered a team-best nine kills.
Junior libero Bassitt hustled up 21 digs and served three aces. She served a perfect 27-27.
Senior Robinson hit four kills and dealt three aces. Junior Griffith came up with eight digs and smacked five kills.
Senior defensive specialist Josie Phillips came up with 10 digs, while sophomore defensive specialist Alyssa Madison hustled up seven digs.
Sophomore middle Conley had one block. Freshman Dailah Preston mustered a pair of blocks and one kill.
The Ada junior varsity and freshman teams also won in straight sets, 2-0.
Ada plays a freshman/JV/varsity tripleheader Tuesday against Hardin County rival Kenton starting at 5 p.m. The match was scheduled to be at the Wildcats but due to gym renovations has been switched to Ada.
The Thursday match vs. Vanlue has been moved to the Ada junior high gym due to expected hot weather.
