By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada volleyball team played an inspired match but still lost to visiting Northwest Conference power Lincolnview Tuesday on Volley for the Cure night in the Bulldog home season finale.
Ada battled hard but lost 25-14, 25-22, 25-13 to drop the Lady Bulldog overall record to 8-11 overall. They finished 2-6 in NWC play.
First-place Lincolnview improved to 17-2 and 7-0 in the NWC with the three-set victory.
Erin Robinson, mother of Ada freshman spiker Daicy Robinson, was recognized as she endures her ongoing battle with breast cancer. A total of $3,822.26 was raised for the cause.
"We had some really great hustle plays and good energy," said Ada head coach Kyleigh Tabor. "We had a lot of really nice saves. They have some nice hitters and hit the ball very hard.
"Lincolnview is a good team, but I am proud of our team for fighting hard," she added.
The Lancers were without two key players, both sidelined due to covid quarantine. But they still prevailed in straight sets.
"I want to thank Ada for allowing us to participate in a great cause; prayers to the mother and her family," said Lancer head coach JaNahn Evans.
"It is great to come over here and play a friendly rival school like Ada. Once our offense connected, we took control and put our hitters in good situations."
After a 3-3 tie in set one Linolnview reeled off eight unanswered points. Good outside hitting by senior Madison Williams helped the Lancers seize the lead.
But Ada rallied with an 8-4 run to pull withn 15-11. A clean kill to the open back by Kendall Bollenbacher ended the Bulldog momentum. Kendall Klausing followed with a clean smash, and Bollenbacher found an opening cross court.
A clean ace by Sami Sellers advanced the lead to 19-11. Ada called timout down 20-11, but Bollenbacher ended a rally with a sideline smash. Klausing won a tip duel at the net.
The Lancers finally served long to end the 7-0 flurry. Bollenbacher hit a clean kill off the top of the net just out of the diving reach of Miranda Wills.
Another clean kill by Bollenbacher earned set point. Wills kept Ada alive with a cross-court slam. But Williams put it away with a left outside smash of her own, 25-14.
Game 2
In game two, Wills started Ada off with an ace. The Bulldogs led 3-1 before a clean kill by Bollenbacher. Megan Light answered with a clean kill of her own. Light ended another rally with a kill, and a Lancer collision led to a 6-2 bulge.
Southpaw Zadria King fired an ace but then served into the net. Williams came up with a slam, and an Ada attack sailed just wide. Senior Kylie Acheson hammered a smash off a blocker. The Bulldogs then won a long rally for a 9-6 lead.
An error and a Lancer block, followed by a Bollenbacher slam, tied it 9-9. Wills put Ada back on top with a kill off a blocker. Kirsten Poling came up with a block and a tip in quick succession for an 11-9 advantage.
Lincolnview tied it but served long to fall behind 12-11. A strong Light kill was answered by a clean Lancer kill.
Light found the short opening for a 14-12 lead, and the blue and gold hit long. A monster smash by Klausing ricocheted off the back wall, yet a Light kill kept Ada in front 16-13.
Carsyn Looser knocked down a clean kill off the net but Light answered with a sideline smash. The accurate Williams found a short opening with a tip, and Sellers followed with a clean kill. Elaina O'Neill fired an ace that dropped in off the top of the net to tie it 17-all.
A diving dig by Acheson went to no avail after an ensuing Lancer kill landed just inside the back line. Brianna Ebel surprised Ada with a quick-set tip, but Ada held within 19-18.
Courtney Sumner's cross court smash hit the net and dropped inside the sideline to tie it up again. Ada won a long rally to surge ahead but a mis-hit knotted the set once more. Both teams hustled hard on a seesaw rally before Klausing put it away with a huge smash.
After the Lancers inched in front 22-20, Tabor called timeout. Williams fired an ace, but Poling came up with a big block kill. A huge Lancer smash was dug by Sumner but her save sailed just out. Yet a Lancer serving error gave Ada a last chance, down 24-22.
But the Bulldogs served long to drop set two, 25-22.
Game 3
An Ada mis-hit and a Bollenbacher slam started set three well for the Lancers. Ebel executed a surprise tip and the visitors led 3-0 before Light hammered a kill. Another clean kill to the open back by the hard-hitting Bollenbacher was followed by a serving error.
Lincolnview surged ahead 8-3, prompting a Bulldog timeout. But Ebel kept winning points with a jump serve and a block kill by Klausing. The Lancers finally hit long, but by then they led 11-4.
Ada scored on a tipped smash, but Bollenbacher again fired a resounding sideline slam off a digger. Williams rifled a clean cross court kill yet Sumner placed an attack just inside the sideline to make it 13-6.
Two more Williams kills enticed Tabor to call another timeout, down 16-6. Lincolnview served into the net and Light scored a kill. A Lancer hit went wide, but a sideline tip ended the 3-0 Ada flurry.
Wills came up with a fine dig and then a hustling save on the same play to get the Bulldogs within 18-10. Light placed a solid kill to the back, but Sellers responded with a big kill to stem the Ada tide.
Three Bulldog mis-hits advanced the Lancer lead to 22-11. Poling answered with a southpaw tip. Bollenbacher came up with a strong attack and a short clean tip by Klausing earned match point.
A serve into the net was followed by Bollenbacher's clean roundhouse kill to the open middle that ended the match, 25-13.
Ada finishes 4-6 at home
Junior Bollenbacher led all players with 21 kills. She added 13 digs, four aces and two blocks. Williams contributed 11 kills and 14 digs. Senior setter Ebel passed out 44 assists.
Klausing knocked down five kills, while Sellers added three kills and a pair of blocks. O'Neill added a dozen digs.
Senior middle Light led Ada with eight kills, eight digs and two blocks. Versatile senior Wills amassed 14 digs, hit for three kills and served one ace.
Junior setter Poling passed out 14 assists, and she also came up with eight digs and two blocks.
Acheson hustled up nine digs and also slammed a pair of kills. Sophomore Sumner knocked down four kills and hustled up eight digs.
The Ada girls finished 4-6 at home. It was the last home match for Bulldog seniors Light, Wills, Acheson, the ill Leona Dalton and the injured Grace Allison.
The Bulldog reserves lost 2-0 to fall to 6-13. The Ada freshmen triumphed, 2-0.
Ada (4-5 road) plays at local arch-rival Upper Scioto Valley (1-12) Thursday, October 15 in the regular season finale.
Lincolnview hosts arch-rival Crestview in a showdown for the NWC title Thursday in the regular season finale. "We may not be in full attendance (roster-wise) but we are fully prepared for Crestview," said Evans. "It will be a great matchup."
The Lancers will be without six-footer McKayla Blankemeyer and defensive specialist Breck Evans.
"All we can do is play our best and play with energy," she added.
