By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Cougars pounced on the Yellow Jackets in three consecutive sets to complete a checkmate in the Hardy County Volleyball Showdown season series in Baker: 25-16, 25-8 and 25-15.
“I thought we did a pretty good job on serve-receive. We were consistent keeping our serves in and that put a lot of pressure on them. We were able to get enough free balls over to get Morganne [Miller] and [Madison] Kerr to start swinging. They were able to hit over that block and find the floor for their kills. [Fans] I am really proud of our student section and the kids that come to our games. We’ve been trying to make sure they are taken care of, because we definitely need their support. I feel this year they have done a great job of coming into our home games and showing us a lot of love,” East Hardy assistant coach Chris Hahn remarked.
Moorefield donned pink hues to raise breast cancer awareness at the match.
East Hardy started the match with a 6-1 lead which included aces by Savannah Pullen and Morganne Miller, Madison Kerr block and kill, plus a spike from Xavia Barber.
The Yellow Jackets buzzed back to tie the set at 7-all as Kuykendall delivered a couple aces and spikes, along with an ace from Annie Barr.
East Hardy countered with the next seven points for a 14-7 advantage as Barber served up three aces and a kill during the run.
Moorefield developed points on attacks and an ace by Lexi Vanmeter, in addition to an ace by Liddy Keplinger to make it 17-12.
The Cougars responded with four straight points as Barber made a spike, Miller blocked a volley and slammed the ball and Pullen delivered an ace.
Miller and Kukendall traded blocks for a 21-13 score.
Moorefield’s Brenna See and Keplinger created spikes and a serve by Kuykendall was retuned into the net for a 23-16 deficit.
East Hardy closed out the set as Danica Wolfe made a dig and Kerr landed two kills for a 25-16 win.
The Cougars built an 11-4 advantage in the second set as Wolfe Barber created two aces apiece, while Kerr and Miller did damage at the net.
Miller collected five kills and a block as East Hardy commandeered an 18-5 lead.
The Yellow Jackets got three more points down the stretch on spikes from 24 and Kuykendall plus a block.
East Hardy’s Emerson Pearce delivered an ace for a 21-6 lead.
Miller finished the second set with a spike and serve returned into the net, 25-8.
The Yellow Jackets refused to back down in the third set starting with a 2-nil edge on a block and kill by Kuykendall.
East Hardy responded with the help of two miscues and an ace from Miller to take a 3-2 edge, prior to their own wild volley locking the set again..
Moorefield’s Emmy Crites made a dig and an attack from See was retuned into the net, but the Cougars responded with two kills by Kerr and an ace from Wolfe regaining the lead and sparking momentum for a 14-6 advantage which included more attacks from Kerr and an ace.
The Cougars were getting solid defense with digs by Barber, Miller and Pearce, while Moorefield saw digs coming from Crites and Kump.
Kerr smashed the ball twice and blocked a volley, while Miller served an ace to collect a 22-9 lead.
A couple errors, plus kills from Vanmeter thrice and Kuykendall helped the Yellow Jackets slice the gap down to 24-14.
An attack by Miller couldn’t be corralled for the final match point for the Cougars, 25-15, 3-nil.
East Hardy visited Pendleton County yesterday and travels to Jefferson tomorrow.
The Cougars look to defend the Class A Potomac Valley Conference Championship this Saturday in Baker.
