Prairie Grove Defeats Decatur

PRAIRIE GROVE — Decatur performed better as a Sept. 15 volleyball match progressed, but their inexperience was exposed with Prairie Grove winning three straight sets, 25-9, 25-24 and 25-17. Decatur made a little noise in the second set using a mini-run after Prairie Grove built a 15-8 lead to trim the margin to 18-12. The Lady Bulldogs caught Prairie Grove off-guard with an early return to get a point. Then after three- straight Lady Tiger points, Decatur sophomore Desi Meek set up senior Cameron Shaffer’s kill that landed in the back-row, to begin a 3-0 run by the Lady Bulldogs. Meek pounded a hard hit into the back corner for another Decatur kill and Shaffer served an ace to pull the Lady Bulldogs to within, 18-12. Prairie Grove silenced their opponents, ending the game on a 7-2 run fueled by consecutive aces from Alisan Alexander. Prairie Grove claimed the second set, 25-14, to go up 2-0.

The Lady Tigers surged out to a 5-0 lead in the third set, scoring on a pair of Riley Gerwig kills and a trio of Kara Anderson aces. Prairie Grove broke a 3-0 mini run by the Lady Bulldogs with the teamwork of Alexander (dig), Madison Beaver (set) and Gerwig (kill). The Lady Tigers stretched the margin to 11-5 on the strength of consecutive kills by Williamson and Gerwig. Service errors and hitting errors by both teams brought the score to 15-11. Shaffer’s ace was offset by a Decatur service error. Gerwig, wearing jersey No. 19, scored the 19th point of the contest for the Lady Tigers with an ace. Decatur was six points behind and couldn’t catch up. Beaver’s ace ended the third set with Prairie Grove winning 25-17.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER The Prairie Grove volleyball team, shown celebrating an ace against Lincoln, defeated Decatur in three straight sets, 25-9, 25-24 and 25-17, Sept. 15.