Lady Pirates Drop Five-Set Heartbreaker To Grizzlies
September 12, 2018
EL DORADO, Kan. - After a week of playing outside the conference, the Independence Lady Pirates resumed play in the KJCCC Western Division traveling to play the Butler Grizzlies.
The two teams battled it out to the final set, but in the end despite playing so well the Lady Pirates (4-7, 1-3) fell to the Grizzlies (9-5, 3-0) in five sets.
"This loss tonight was hard, but I'm proud of my team and the way we competed," coach Daniela Pena said. "Having three road games in a week doesn't give much time to prepare, but the fight we showed tonight I think shows progress for the program going forward."
"We will work on the little things and come back stronger Friday night at Dodge City."
In the first set, it was the Grizzlies drawing first blood with a kill, but the Lady Pirates answered back with a kill from Briana Prescott to tie it at 1-1. The teams exchanged kills as Destiny Thomas spiked the ball tying it at 2-2 but consecutive errors from both teams made the score 4-3 Butler.
A 2-0 Grizzly run was broken up by a kill from Kiersten Vincent but a kill and a ball in the net followed by a block pushed the Butler lead to 9-4. A 2-0 run made the score 11-4 but two consecutive errors and a block from Prescott got Independence back within four, trailing 11-7.
Thomas continued to kill it on a 5-1 run that included three double touches tying the set at 12-12 and a ball hit too far by the Grizzlies gave the Lady Pirates their first lead at 13-12. Butler regained the lead on a 3-0 run at 15-13 but Independence fired back with blocks by Prescott and Thomas along with a big block from Patricia Seller to tie it up at 15-15.
Butler answered on a 5-0 run pushing the score to 20-15 before a service error brought Independence back within four but three straight kills and ace on a 4-0 extended the lead to 24-15 before Thomas broke the silence and an error made it 24-17. However, a kill on the following serve dropped the set for the Lady Pirates 17-25.
The second set began with a 10-6 run for Independence with Alessia Laghi setting up kills for Prescott, Thomas and Natasha Colon. The teams exchanged blows on a 9-6 Butler run bringing the score to 16-15 Independence after a dangerous kill from Prescott.
Back and forth the set went on an 8-5 Butler run but a block from Prescott made the score 23-22 for the Grizzlies and Laghi dug the Lady Pirates back into it with a kill by Prescott and Thomas for the 24-23 lead. Butler would tie it at 24-24, but an error put Independence ahead 25-24. The Grizzlies tied it again at 25-25, but two straight errors gave the Lady Pirates the set 27-25, tying the match at 1-1.
In the third set, Independence began on a 3-2 run after a Thomas kill. Butler went on a 6-2 run, but a kill by Colon cut the lead to 7-5. The team exchanged blows when a block by Hannia Rios was batted back only to be killed by Jessie Lewman.
On the next serve, a super diving dig by Laghi set up a monster kill from Thomas tying the set at 8-8 and another 2-2 exchange had the score knotted up once again at 10-10. The Grizzlies went on a 3-0 run before Colon split two blockers with a kill cutting the lead to 13-11.
A 2-1 run capped on an ace from Thomas made the score 14-13, but a service error and a kill pushed Butlers lead to three before a 2-0 rally cut the score to 16-15. The set was tied at 16-16 after a double contact and the Lady Pirates regained the lead at 18-16 after another double contact and an ace from Colon.
An error and a kill tied the set and at 18-18 and a 4-1 run had Butler in the lead 22-19. A service error cut the lead down to two, but after a 3-1 Grizzly run the Lady Pirates would drop the set 21-25 and trail in the match 1-2.
The fourth set began on a run of 6-5 for Butler, but the two kills from Thomas and ace from Anachariz Cruz had Independence in the hunt and a 4-0 run put the Lady Pirates ahead 9-5. A kill for the Grizzlies was answered with a kill by Lewman and an ace from Colon pushed the lead to 11-6.
A 3-1 run from Butler cut the Independence lead to 12-9 and a 3-2 run capped by a Thomas kill had the score at 14-12. Another 3-1 Grizzly run tied the set at 15-15 and a kill gave Butler the one-point advantage before Thomas smashed the ball to tie it again at 16-16.
A service error and a kill by Lewman tied the set at 18-18 and a kill from Prescott put the Lady Pirates ahead 19-18. An ace from Colon pushed the lead to 20-18 and another kill from Prescott put Independence ahead by three.
A push too far got the Grizzlies within two, but Prescott attacked pushing the lead out to 22-19 and a hitting error gave the Lady Pirates a four-point lead. Independence would get a kill from Prescott, and Butler battled back from three straight miscommunications cutting the score to 24-23 but Prescott made the final kill and the Lady Pirates took the set 25-22 tying the match at 2-2.
In the fifth set, Independence had the lead after two miscommunications followed a block and kill from Thomas but a kill and block from Butler tied the final set at 4-4.
A double contact and a push too far gave the Grizzlies a 6-4 advantage and another kill pushed the lead to 7-4. Thomas went on the attack yet again to cut the lead to two, but another kill for Butler made the score 8-5.
A service error and a knock over by Rios made the score 8-7 but a kill by the Grizzlies got the lead back to two. A ball hit out of bounds cut the lead to 9-8, but a block out of bounds and an ace pushed the lead to 11-8.
Back to back service errors had the score at 12-9, and Thomas delivered a shot cutting the lead to two before a kill had Butler up 13-10. The Lady Pirates battled back with a Thomas kill, but a 2-0 run dropped the set for Independence 11-15 and the match 2-3.
The Lady Pirates are now 4-7 and 1-3 in conference play. Next up is the final road trip of the week at Dodge City, Friday September 14th, with first serve set for 5:30.