Bluejays Lose to Louisville; Yutan Next for Lions
(10-30-07)

It took 5 games but the Lady Lions brought home a win in the second round of sub-district play against Ashland-Greenwood.

The Lady Lions were red-hot in the first game recording 12 kills and 4 ace serves. Louisville forced an early time-out from the Ashland-Greenwood bench when they took a 5-1 lead. The Blue Jays made a run at the Lions to tie the score at twelve before taking a one-point lead, 16.15. Keshia Lamb, a senior defensive specialist, went to the serving line and put up 9 straight serves to gain a 24-17 lead. A-G took their second time-out – down 16-19 – but Lamb couldn’t be shaken. She ended her rotation with 3 ace serves. The Lions benefited from an A-G hitting error to close out the game, 25-17.

The second game began with the Bluejays scoring the first five points before freshman Taylor Mohler checked into the front row to chalk up a quick kill. That hit reignited the Lions who took advantage of the situation to score six quick points. Each team took turns with scoring runs that ended with A.G. on top, 25-21.

The Lion bench heated up again for the third game. It was hot enough to melt down the Bluejays’ offense forcing twelve hitting errors and one crucial service error that ended the game in favor of the Lions, 25-15. The whole team contributed to the win with juniors Julianne Drelicharz and Chelsea Dillon contributing 2 and 4 kills respectively, and senior Brieanne Zaracki adding 2 kills of her own. Drelicharz, Kelsey Gray, and Keshia Lamb each knocked out an ace serve to add their touch to the victory.

Then, like a cold winter day, the temperature on the Louisville bench dropped quickly for the fourth game. The Lions allowed the Bluejays to stay in the match by committing several passing and hitting errors, and recording only six kills.

The Lions tried to warm things up with a couple of time-outs, one after a 10-4 run by the Jays, and the next after another 7-2 scoring spree. Neither of the breaks was effective for the Lions and the Jays forced a fifth game with a firm 25-16 win.

As with the rest of the evening, both teams ran hot and cold in the last game. Louisville set the pace with two quick kill points from juniors Drelicharz and Jenna Laughlin. Ashland-Greenwood sent over three free-balls that contributed to long rallies which the Lions used to add nine hits to their game stats in the first three points of the game. Their lead quickly grew to a five point lead, 7-2.

The Bluejays were out of time-outs at this point, and the Lions were showing no mercy. Substitutions from the Ashland-Greenwood bench after nearly every serve couldn’t break the Lions’ momentum.

Senior Lindsey Giles didn’t appear to be interested in ending her high school career when she rotated back to the service position. Giles dropped in six serves – one ace – to take the game to the brink of victory, 14-4.

That’s when someone opened the window to let the cold breeze make one last temperature change on the Lions’ court. The Lady Lions committed errors on five of the next six plays to let the Blue Jays warm up their score and take the Lion’s lead down to four points, 14-10.

Coach Crystal Dwerlkotte took a time-out to take the chill off her team. That was all it took for the team to close the deal with a win, 15-10.

The Lions will return to Bellevue West High School on Thursday to take on the Yutan Chieftains at 7:00 pm. The Louisville-Yutan winner will face the winner of the C1-1 Subdistrict on Friday, November 2 at Waverly for a berth in the state tournament.