MEADVILLE —
It was the Meadville girls volleyball team’s first match of the season. However, Tuesday night against General McLane, the Lady Bulldogs looked like they’d been at it for a good long while, recording a solid 25-23, 25-14, 25-23 sweep over the Lancers to kick off the fall sports schedule at the House of Thrills.
“It’s a good way to start the season against a strong team,” said MASH head coach Tammy Webber. “We haven’t started the season with a win the last two years because we opened up with McDowell. So it’s nice to open up with an actual win. Hopefully it carries on through the season.”
Apart from some tentative moments early in the match, Meadville looked good at the net, at the serve line and in the back row while getting off to a 1-0 start on the year.
“I’m really excited about this year, because I think we have a really nice team,” said Meadville’s Leah Jones. “I love our team. I’m really close with all the girls and I think we’re going to do really well this year.”
Jones and Monica Jackson — both senior outside hitters — both looked tough on offense and defense. Jones had 15 kills and 14 digs. Jackson had 11 kills and 14 digs.
Marcadi McCoy chipped in five kills and two blocks while Ellen Mook had three kills and two blocks.
Defensively, libero Mylinda Hartnett picked up 17 digs. Christy Espy had seven.
Setter Kaitlyn Newman handed out 32 assists.
“We started off a little slow and then we built it up,” said Hartnett. “So I thought for the beginning of the season it went pretty well.
The first game was back-and-forth most of the way. In fact, the Lancers’ went on a four-point tear halfway through to take a 14-12 lead. It seemed like the Bulldogs were breaking down a little on defense as the Lancers landed an easy third-touch by Molly Regan, an ace by Michelle Jahn and a tip by Brittany Hunter.
But MASH’s defense got back to passing the ball, and Jackson and Jones took over at the net. Jones finished the opening game with six kills. Jackson had four, including the game winner at 25-23.
“Sometimes it takes a little bit to get going, you’ve got to let the nerves settle down,” said Jones. “But I think we did really well. We stuck together. We decided to cheer and stay together and that’s what we did.”
Both girls stayed hot in the second game. In fact, the whole Bulldogs side played well. After falling behind 3-1 to start the set, MASH went on to outscore the Lancers 24-11 the rest of the way. Jones had five kills in that game. Jackson had a couple more. McCoy chipped in three kills and a stuff block. And Hartnett scooped a few outstanding digs from the back row.
“Defense makes the difference,” said Webber. “And we came up with some big digs when we needed it.”
Newman had the game-winner in set No. 2 with a quick tip onto GM’s court.
The third game was again back and fourth. McLane was in front 8-6 when Jones went to the base line to serve. And her two aces highlighted a five-point run by the Bulldogs, who took an 11-8 lead.
The home team wouldn’t trail again, although McLane kept it close thanks to some strong net play by Lindsey Jahn, Morgan Vaughn and Maureen Nkomo.
“I think we did really well at the net blocking and we attacked very well,” said General McLane head coach Heather Karns.
The Lady Lancers tied it up at 11-11, and kept it a one-point game at 18-17 and 20-19. But Jones slammed the door for the Bulldogs, scoring five of her team’s final six points at the net.
“My girls played really hard,” said Karns. “They didn’t give up ever. The girls played hard. I thought we did pretty well for the beginning of the year.”
Karns is a 2007 graduate of Meadville High School. Last night’s match was the first of her varsity career.
“It was weird,” she said. “It was exciting though. I thought it was a nice start to the season, being back in my old home gym.”
Local Sports
Meadville sweeps McLane in season opener
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