Lady Pirates Swept In Hard-Fought Match
October 24, 2018
HUTCHINSON, Kan. - The Independence Lady Pirates hit the road Wednesday traveling to face the Hutchinson Blue Dragons. Every set was competitive until the end, but the Lady Pirates walked away empty-handed falling in straight sets.
In the first set, the Lady Pirates fell behind early on a hit out of bounds but a kill by Natasha Colon and two hits out of bounds hit by the Blue Dragons gave Independence a 3-1 lead. A 3-0 run gave Hutchinson a 4-3 lead, but Briana Prescott delivered a kill to tie it up again.
A 4-0 run had the Blue Dragons ahead 8-4, but a hit to the antenna cut the score to 8-5 before an error and a kill pushed the lead to five. A 2-0 run made the score 12-5 before a hit out of bounds brought the Lady Pirates within six.
Kalli Stephens answered after an error with a kill making the score 13-7, but a block pushed the lead back to seven. A block by Destiny Thomas was answered with a kill pushing it to 14-8 and another kill made it 15-9. The teams exchanged points on a 2-2 3even run capped by Jessi Lewman made it 17-11, but a net ball and a block had Independence trailing by eight.
A service error brought the Lady Pirates within seven and a kill by Colon had it a six-point deficit, but an error and a block by Hutchinson made the score 21-13. The Lady Pirates battled back and despite outscoring the Blue Dragons 5-4, dropped the set 18-25.
The second set began with a 2-0 run after aces from Anachariz Cruz and a kill by Prescott pushed the lead to three. The teams exchanged blows early on, but a 7-1 run had Hutchinson leading by three before Thomas answered making it 7-5.
A 3-0 run made the score 10-5 but Prescott delivered a shot cutting the lead to four. A 3-1 run for the Blue Dragons made it 13-7 and back to back kills pushed the lead to eight. A service error made the score 15-8 and a kill by Shelymar Diaz brought Independence within six.
Back to back errors made the score 15-11, but a block pushed the lead back out to five. A net ball brought the Lady Pirates back within four and another error had the score at 16-13 before a kill from Prescott and Thomas had Independence trailing by one.
A service error made the score 17-15 for Hutchinson, but a kill by Colon had the Lady Pirates within one again before a kill made the score 18-16. Thomas answered the call throwing down a spike and after an error Cruz got an ace and an error tied the set at 19-19 before Diaz delivered a kill giving Independence a 20-19 advantage.
A 3-0 run had the Blue Dragons back up by two before a hit to the antenna and a kill by Colon tied it at 22-22. Hutchinson answered but a service error had the set tied again at 23-23 and the teams exchanged blows again to tie at 24-24, but a 2-0 run for the Blue Dragons saw the Lady Pirates drop the set 24-26.
In the third set, a service error by Hutchinson and a block out of bounds by Independence tied the score at 1-1, but a kill by Thomas gave the Lady Pirates a one-point lead before four straight kills had Hutchinson leading 4-2.
A service error brought Independence within two, but an error and a kill pushed the Blue Dragons' lead to 7-3. Another block pushed the lead to five and an error made it closer but hits out of bounds and kills made the score 13-4.
Kiersten Vincent made it 13-5 and errors cut the lead to six, but a service error and a block had the score at 15-7. Thomas delivered a kill and Prescott answered a block cutting the score to 16-9 and Vincent delivered making it 16-10.
Back to back errors pushed the lead to eight for the Blue Dragons before a kill by Prescott made it 18-11. The teams exchanged blows making the score 19-12, but a net ball and a kill pushed the score to 21-12. Patricia Seller delivered a kill cutting the score to 21-13, but a 4-0 run by Hutchinson saw the Lady Pirates drop the set 13-25.
The Lady Pirates (8-18, 5-10) are back in action Saturday traveling to Great Bend to take on the Barton Cougars with first serve set for 2 pm.