Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Lady Tigers Open Season
WEST FORK — It’s understood that after graduating 10 seniors from last season’s squad the Prairie Grove Lady Tiger volleyball team is going to experience some ups and downs throughout the 2013 season.
A perfect example of that can be found last week when the Tigers opened their season on Aug. 26 by being swept three games to zero at the hands of the West Fork Tigers, then turning around the next day and beating the Lavaca Eagles in a five game thriller played at Lavaca.
The Tigers had a deer in the headlights look when they faced West Fork Tigers in their season opening tilt. West Fork trounced Prairie Grove 25-7 in game one of the contest, then kept the pressure on with a 25-15 game two win. Prairie Grove showed some life in the third game by rattling off the first points to take a 4- 0 lead, however that momentum was quickly quashed by West Fork who ended up taking the game 25-17, completing the three game sweep.
“We’re a young team,” said Prairie Grove coach Hannah McDonald. “Last season’s seniors did a good job of passing off what they know to the younger players, but not having that experience playing together definitely showed today, but that’s why we play nonconference games.”
Coach McDonald’s team bounced back in a big way the next evening when they dispatched the Golden Arrows of Lavaca in five games.
The Golden Arrows jumped out to a one game to zero lead when they took the first contest 25-16. The Tigers responded by winning the next two games, 25-18 and 27-25. Lavaca evened the contest at two games apiece after taking game four by a score of 25-19. Prairie Grove concluded the night with an 18-16 game five win, clinching the 3-2 victory for the Tigers.
On the defensive side of the net, Kelsey Webb turned in a sterling performance, with 14 blocks to go along with six kills on offense. Marie Gregson complemented Webb with six blocks and six kills, Bonnie Kragel contributed three aces and six kills, Taylor Spinks finished with six blocks, Cassidy Dryer tallied two blocks, two kills and one ace, Sydney Barnes pitched in with one ace and one block, and Jaelyn Kilburn concluded the night with one ace.