Lady Tigers fall to Washington

GREENFIELD – Improvement in overall play has been key for the McClain Lady Tigers thus far this season, but they were unable the fend off the powerful and aggressive Washington Lady Blue Lions Thursday night as WSHS took the South Central Ohio League match in four sets at McClain High School.

            MHS (2-2, 6-3) took the first set in extra frames at 28-26, but the Lady Blue Lions came back to sweep the next three by scores of 25-18, 25-23 and 25-17.

            “We played really well,” McClain coach Emma Gall said. “They understand we have to play well as a team to be successful and they gave it their all.”

            The Lady Tigers were led by junior Kelsey Davis with 26 assists. Davis also added three blocks to her overall totals.

            Senior Megan Saylor led MHS in kills with 15 against Washington. MHS senior Kate Hammond had six kills and tied for team-high in blocks with three.

            Jenna Perie ended the four-set match with seven kills, two aces and one block for the Lady Tigers.

            The first of four sets was tied 14 times, with the MHS leading early on at 10-8. Scoring early in the set for MHS was Alyssa Bean with a point off a serve to give the Lady Tigers the lead.

            After WSHS took a two-point lead at 15-13, Davis scored with a spike hit, followed with a serve by Saylor as WSHS was unable to put the ball over the net.

            MHS took a three-point lead t 19-16, but WSHS battled back to tied the set at 19.

            The set would be tied six more times, with Bean bouncing the ball off a Washington player. Davis brought MHS within one-point at 24-23 with a blocked shot and a spike by Saylor gave MHS a 25-24 lead.

            WSHS tied the set at 25, but Perie gave MHS the lead at 26-25 and senior Taylor Delph ended the set with a spike off a Washington player for the set win.

            “Taylor (Delph) had a good night,” Gall said. “Cailey Branham also played well for us of the bench with her serving and passing.”

            WSHS took the second set, jumping out to a 5-1 advantage. Hammond scored a point to bring MHS within seven points, and an ace by Davis cut the WSHS lead to five at 12-7.

            Later in the set, a set with no ties, the Lady Tigers cut the WSHS lead to 14-12, but the Lady Blue Lions increased their advantage, by scoring five of the next six points, to 19-13. WSHS took control at the end of the second set for the seven-point win.

            The third set had 10 ties, with the last one coming at 22-22. WSHS took the lead at 23-22, eventually winning by two points at 25-23.

            In the fourth and final set both teams battled to a 6-6 deadlocked score, with WSHS playing their most aggressive set of the match, showing off the power in the process.

            A spike by Delph brought MHS to an 8-8 tie, but Washington scored the next five points, with back-to-back scores by Aubrey Kiger, followed with a point by Ashley Baker. WSHS continued to use their power game taking a six-point lead.

            Kelsey Daniels had two straight aces for the Lady Blue Lions late in the set, with the game ending on a point scored by Washington’s Madison Brown.

            “We are playing well together,” Gall said. “They respect each other and everyone gave excellent effort. They realize it takes a team to win.”

            The loss drops MHS to 6-3 overall, 2-2 in the SCOL.

            In JV action the Lady Blue Lions took two straight sets by scores of 25-6 and 25-12 for the win.