By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Cougars shredded the Hive leaving the Yellow Jackets scattered in the first Hardy County Volleyball showdown this season: 25-10, 25-18 and 25-22.
Moorefield started the match with a serve from CiCi Kump which was returned by East Hardy’s Danica Wolfe.
Moorefield’s Raleigh Kuykendall fired the ball and it was met with a dig by the Cougars’ Madison Kerr and saved by Xavia Barber.
The Yellow Jackets continued the action with spikes by Kuykendall and Brenna See for a 2-0 edge.
East Hardy reversed the momentum with a kill by Morganne Miller, followed by two devs from Amelia Garrett sandwiching a net ball from the Yellow Jackets to give the Cougars a 4-2 edge.
Moorefield countered with a kill by Kuykendall, then Miller and Kerr responded with attacks for a 6-3 score.
East Hardy took an 8-4 lead on a tap by Kerr, then Moorefield closed the gap with an attack by Lexi Vanmeter and an ace served up by See.
Kerr and Kump traded spikes, then Kerr recorded a block.
Miller garnered two kills, followed by an ace delivered from Kerr and the ensuing two serves were returned awry as the Cougars built a 15-7 lead prior to a timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, Miller slammed the ball extending the edge.
Moorefield’s Annie Barr notched a point on an attack.
The Cougars answered with a spike from Miller and the momentum carried on as Emerson Pearce landed two aces and had another serve returned out of play for a 20-8 advantage.
Miller earned a point off a block attempt by Barr which deflected out of bounds.
Garrett made a diving save, but a carrying violation followed suit for the Cougars.
The Yellow Jackets launched the ball too far on the next volley.
Garrett served up an ace, then found the net on the ensuing attempt.
East Hardy closed out the first set with kills by Kerr for a 25-10 score.
Moorefield created a 4-0 lead in the second set with the help of a few errors and a spike by See.
After a carrying violation on the Yellow Jackets, the Cougars served into the net.
East Hardy’s Xavia Barber and Danica Wolfe made digs and the energy shifted as Kerr slammed the ball.
Wolfe served up an ace and another point on a return going awry closing the gap to 6-4.
Pearce made a dig, but the next volley went askew.
Kerr landed back-to-back kills sandwiching her own dig pulling the Cougars to 7-6.
Moorefield’s Aubrey Kidwell made a spike and a serve by See was returned out for a 9-6 edge.
Kerr saved the following serve, but it couldn’t be returned.
East Hardy went on a comeback scoring seven straight points for a 13-10 lead with included a block by Kerr and two aces.
Mille landed two kills and Barber kept the floor clear with digs.
The Yellow Jackets answered with a spike and ace by Lexi Vanmeter to cut the deficit to 13-12.
The Cougars pounced back with two kills by Miller.
Kuykendall launched a spike, then the ensuing serve by the Yellow Jackets went out.
A potetial ace by Garrett was ruled out, then the Cougars regrouped with a dig by Barber and set from Wolfe to Miller for a point.
Kerr earned a point off a deflation, then Moorefield counted with a block by Vanmeter.
Peace and Kerr made spikes as Barber served.
After a block by Kerr, Moorefield called timeout trailing 22-17.
A serve by Barber was saved by Barr, but the Cougars countered with a spike from Kerr.
There were serves swallowed by the net on both sides, then Kerr made a save and the final point was a spike by Miller for a 25-18 score in the second set.
The third set started with the Yellow Jackets touching the net on a block attempt after a dig by Kerr.
Moorefield regrouped with a spike and block from Kuykendall for a 2-1 edge.
East Hardy countered with a kill and ace by Miller to regain the lead 3-2.
The hustle on both sides of the net Wawa sensational with digs by Moorefield’s Kidwell and See and East Hardy’s Savannah Pullen along with saves by Wolfe.
Wolfe was ruled out on another save attempt, then See landed a spike as Moorefield took a 4-3 lead.
The next Moorefield serve sailed out, then Wolfe delivered two aces to put the Cougars ahead 6-4.
After a service error, the Yellow Jackets touched the net.
Kerr hammered the ball, then Barber’s serve ricocheted up to the ceiling and down to the floor for a point.
Miller executed two kills and recorded a block to give the Cougars a 12-7 edge before a timeout.
East Hardy kept the momentum going as Pearce served an ace, then Miller made another block and spike.
An attack by Miller was saved initially by Kidwell prior to finding the net for a 16-8 score.
Miller launched the ball out of bounds, then Barr served into the net before recovering with a spike.
Kidwell garnered a point off an attack for the Yellow Jackets.
There was a referee timeout after a spike by Kerr which was negated for a net touching violation.
Moorefield’s Emmy Crites made a save along the bench to cheers from the fans as the play resulted in a net ball by the Cougars.
Kerr spiked the ball and Barber served an ace for a 20-14 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets refused to fold as Vanmeter and Barr notched kills.
East Hardy counted with a spike by Kerr before a serve went awry.
Moorefield sliced the deficit to 22-19 as Barr and Kuykendall found the floor on attacks and timeout was called.
Miller blocked a shot, but Barr made a dig save before an attack went askew.
A volley by Miller was blocked out of bounds by Kump for a 24-19 score.
The ensuing Cougars serve went low, then Kuykendall collected two points on kills to close the gap to 24-22.
Miller’s attack was met with a dig by Kump, but the Yellow Jackets failed to return the final match point as East Hardy sealed the match 25-22 for a straight set victory.
