Hometown Girls Volleyball Match Recap: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 3 – AVONWORTH 0

By: Bruce Markey
Thursday, September 12, 2013 | 11:36 PM

At Avonworth High School in Hometown Volleyball action the Avonworth Antelopes took a tough section four loss at home to the Our Lady of Sacred Heart Chargers by a score of 3-0.  Both teams came into the game with 3-0 records. Avonworth was 3-0 in section four, OLSH 2-0. However the Antelopes after tonite fall to 1/2 game back of the Chargers.

In game one spurred on by a raucous home crowd of parents and a full student section Avonworth jumped out to a 10-5 lead. Olivia London from the outside left hitter spot had a strong start on offense, and Katie Pendrak the middle hitter played strong defense to pace the Antleopes. OLSH however clilmbed back into the game with strong play by Lexie Yoho, and Tia Sciulli. That strong combo got the Chargers going strong as they would tie the game at 13-13. The game would be tied three more times at sixteen, eighteen, and nineteen in what looked to be a great battle to the end. However OLSH would score 6 of the last 7 points to win going away 25-20. Unforced errors hurt the Antelopes, net serves, and miscommunication on defense during the Chargers 20-10 run after the Avonworth 10-5 start.

Into game two the teams were even at 6-6 before OLSH took off and ran away with the game  going on a 19-4 run to win easily by a score of 25-10. Avonworth had trouble with net violations, and trouble with Yoho again as she dominated the tame at times for the Chargers. The Antelopes seemed to have trouble keeping the ball away from her as she is a middle hitter. Time and time again she was in the right place to handle any Avonworth offensive attempt. For Avonworth Senior captain Erika Thomas, junior Caitlyn Miller, and Freshman Whitney Brown made valiant efforts on defense but OLSH was too strong in game two.

Into the 3rd game the Antelopes played their best game and led most of the way. After being tied at 4-4 the Lopes went out to leads of 9-5, then 13-8, and 16-11. Every time the Chargers made a move to get back in the game Avonworth stepped up their effort, Abby Turnbull on defense in the back row ,Taylor Jenkins on the front left on defense, Olivia McKay a senior coming in for some crucial minutes, Abbey Oberdick a sophomore who didnt play much in the first two games with some key minutes as coach Doug Vandorvort shuffled the lineup in an attempt to make something happen. At 19-15 late in the game and Avonworth sensing victory and getting right back in the match Senior Katie Pendrak went down with an apparent knee injury. This unfortunate incident hurt the Lopes momentum and seeing their teammate helped of the court with a potential devastating injury obviously got to  the girls. OLSH would go on a 9-1 run to go up 24-20 and seemingly the victory, but Avonworth still had life in them. Spurred on by defense the Lopes got back in the game and got it to 24-23. OLSH coach Mike McDonald in his 27th year called a time out and the Chargers used a tremendous offensive play designed to go to Yoho and she smashed home a winner as the Chargers won game three 25-23 and the match 3-0.

After the game coach Vandervort talked about his teams effort. "We need to be more consistent on defense, and stop letting the other teams best player beat us". Coach Vandervort wasn't happy after the game but is realistic as OLSH was 12-0 in the section last year and realizes his team has to be more disciplined on defense, and generate more offense with better passing, and setting in able to beat OLSH and challenge for the section championship. Avonworth falls to 3-1 in the section and will face non section Hampton on Monday September 16th. They get their chance at revenge on OLSH on October 8th at OLSH in a match that will in all likelihood decide the section championship.
 

Tags: Avonworth