Central warms up Lady Mules for North County

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

BONNE TERRE — The Central Lady Rebels powered their way past the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules in the first match of the visitor’s doubleheader and the Lady Mules took it out on the North County Lady Raiders in the second game.

The doubleheader was played on the court of North County’s main gym while the J.V. teams were battling it out in the back gym. 



Central 2, Poplar Bluff 0

The Lady Rebels used a strong offensive net game to keep the Lady Mules on their heels, but the Lady Mules would fight back to make a contest of each of the two games 25-21, 25-23.

Alicia Sebastian served up three straight points for Central and it set the tone for most of the first game. The first rotation saw the lead increase to five points at 13-8, before the Lady Mules got rid of their ‘bus blues’.

Poplar Bluff went on a 7-2 run to tie the game at 15-15. Trading serves for the next few points the two teams were still tied at 18 all.

Elizabeth Hartupee took the service line for Central and did not relinquish it until she had served five points for the Lady Rebels. Hartupee’s run of serves was aided by several Lady Mules missed attacks, and a punishing kill by Jaycee Haus.

Two plays later, Jennie Babb put an exclamation point on the first game by hammering a kill past the Lady Mules block for the game winner.

The Lady Mules picked their game up a notch in game two, and they matched Central point for point for half of the game. Neither team led by more than two points until at 13-13 Hartupee once again became the server of the match.

With Haus at the net and Megan Simpson making near perfect sets, Hartupee ran off three straight serves for the Lady Rebels largest lead up to that point, and Poplar Bluff called time to stop the momentum.

The  momentum shifted three times in the next two minutes of play. After a couple of service breaks, the Lady Rebels extended their lead to 18-14, only to see it dissolve to just one point on the serve of Grace Griffith with Jamie Fritts patrolling the net for the Lady Mules.

Back came the Lady Rebels. A pair of kills by Hartupee gave Central a 22-18 lead and the Lady Mules again called for time.

Blake Talkington served Poplar Bluff right back into the game as Central’s attacking game unraveled, and it became a two-point game at 23-23.

Haus gave Central the game-point advantage with her ninth kill of the match, and ball hit into the net by the Lady Mules ended the contest.

Along with Haus’ nine kills, Babb had five with Megan Simpson making 12 assists for the attackers. Tori Boyer made 14 digs, and Alicia Sebastian made 10 for Central’s defense.

Central, 8-8-2, will be back at North County on Thursday to open up conference play.

Poplar Bluff 2, North County 0

Poplar Bluff, with one match under their belts, was fully tuned up for the North County Lady Raiders in the second match, and they showed no signs of tiring as they won the match in two games 25-19, 25-14.

Fritts took charge of the net for the Lady Mules, hammering down two kills on the serve of Talkington. Fritts served six points herself to make the score 12-3, with two serves going for aces.

The Lady Raiders clawed their way back into the game with setter/defensive player Kassi Hovis diving in the back row to dig up spikes by the Lady Mules and also setting the ball for North County’s attacks.

Abby Montgomery got on top of the ball to nail down four of her five kills during North County’s comeback run. The Lady Raiders could only manage two service breaks before the Lady Mules closed the door on the first game.

Game two was nearly a mirroring of game one as Fritts again served the Lady Mules into a significant lead. Fritts served three aces of her five service points and later in the game she would serve three more points with another ace. Fritts served for 17 points in the match with a total of six aces.

Brittany Collins picked up her attack game to lead the Lady Raiders on offense in the second game. Collins had a total of seven kills in the match.

North County, 2-10-3 will host Central on Tuesday.