Calhoun netters defeat Parkersburg Catholic
Red Devil netters too much for PCHS
PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg Catholic didn’t do itself any favors here Thursday night with seven service errors in the opening two sets and Calhoun County took full advantage as the visiting Red Devils swept the Crusaderettes 25-22, 25-23 and 25-17 in a Little Kanawha Conference dual.
Makayla Smith finished with match-highs of 16 points, four aces and 20 assists to lead the 17-8 Red Devils, who return to action Wednesday at St. Marys. Head coach Angie Hersman’s squad also received seven downed spikes apiece from Mercedes Ferrell and Alexa Lawson as well as six kills by Alisha Fulks.
“We kind of felt all along that it would take us a good chunk of the year to be playing the kind of volleyball we want to be playing,” admitted first-year PCHS head man Kevin Witucky, whose program dropped to 9-12 and plays in a triangular on Monday at Wood County Christian.
“We’re definitely making progress, but it’s not instinctive yet. It’s one of those things where the kids need to know when the ball is in a certain area that’s where they need to be. The good teams have that and we are getting closer.”
Crusaderette libero Gracie Lowers’ 29 digs were a match-high while lone senior Abby Witucky, who had 21 digs, put down a match-high 16 kills.
In the opening set, the hosts had their biggest cushion at 7-3 following a pair of Reagan Shriver service tallies. Thanks in part to a trio of Witucky kills, each coming from Olivia Ullman (17 assists), PCHS still led 13-12. However, a Fulks stuff at the net on Witucky gave the Red Devils the lead for good at 14-13 and Hannah Allen’s kill made it 15-13. Three service points from Lowers, which included an ace, finally pulled the hosts to within one at 22-21, but an Ashley Hersman downed spike made it 24-22. A bad pass by PCHS gave the Red Devils set point in the best-of-five match.
Two points from Red Devil Tori Allen tied set two at seven apiece early and it was 10-all following a downed spike by Crusaderette Mikayla Alkire. With Ferrell toeing the service line, Fulks went to work in the front row and helped the visitors push ahead 16-12. Maggie Walters’ kill following a bad Red Devil pass and a Maria Tallman tally gave the hosts an 18-17 advantage.
Calhoun County, though, fought back and forged ahead 23-20 thanks to an ace by Smith as well as kills from Lawson and Hannah Allen, who also had an ace in the spurt. A Witucky smash gave Emily Stewart a service tally to make it 23-22, but Smith’s assist on Hersman’s downed spike put PCHS in a 2-0 hole.
Alkire had a kill and then a block on Hannah Allen to keep PCHS close in set three at 7-6, but a Crusaderette service error helped the Red Devils go on a 5-1 spurt to take control. Smith had a pair of downed spikes in the spurt while Ferrell and Hersman had one each.
PCHS was still in the match at 13-9 following a Hayleigh Robinson kill, but it was all Calhoun County after that as Red Devil libero Kaylea Bennett later served for match point.