Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Battle With Hackett Ends In Sweep
FARMINGTON — Hackett (13-6-1, 6-0 2A West) gave Farmington all it wanted in the first set, seizing an 18-9 lead before the Lady Cardinals stormed back to a 26-24 win.
The momentum shift was huge, powering Farmington to a sweep of the Hornets (26-24, 25-19, 25-22) that was anything but easy. The taller Hornets used size and athleticism to dominate game one in the early going. Farmington watched a 3-2 lead evaporate as Hackett cranked up its offense.
Sophomore Rain Vaughn’s kill started an 11-4 Hackett run. Hornet senior Audrie Chaney, one of a quartet of players on Hackett’s roster listed at 5-10 showed her skill by pounding five kills to push Hackett in front, 13-7, which the visitors increased to 18-9 getting a pair of kills and a block-kill from 5-5 senior Anaya Albert.
Farmington coach Mike Howard stopped the action with a time-out, and when play resumed the game and match was never the same.
Kaylee Purifoy smacked kills twice and Alexis Cates drilled a left-handed first-hit kill at the net giving Farmington some life by reducing the deficit to 19-14.
Despite a 7-2 Farmington run, Hackett sophomore Emma Infalt’s ace poised the Hornets to claim game one with a 22-16 advantage; but Farmington would not go away.
The run stretched to 11-4 on Anthea Jones’ well-placed shot that landed on the back row just inside the line prompting a Hackett timeout with the score at 22-20 in the Hornets’ favor.
Consecutive violations, the second of which was palming during a set, drew the Lady Cardinals even at 22-all. Brittany Pittman smashed a kill that went off a Hornet and out-of-bounds then a Hackett dig went long bringing Farmington to game-point, at 24-22.
A service error followed by encroachment into Hackett’s half of the court resulted in another tie at 24-24. Then Farmington got down to business. Jones played a soft kill to an empty spot and Purifoy concluded Farmington’s brilliant 17-6 run to close out game one with a kill giving the Lady Cardinals a come-from-behind 26-24 victory.
Farmington led throughout game two, which the Lady Cardinals won 25-19.
The third set had its tense moments similar to game one.
There were ties at three, six and nine before Farmington gained separation with a 6-1 run getting kills from Purifoy, Kally Stout and an ace from Caitlyn Crisman to move ahead, 15-10.
Hackett countered with a 9-5 run to pull within 21-20. Farmington reached match-point leading 24-21 on Hackett’s hitting error and finished the set and sweep when the Hornets stepped across the line to end the competition with the game three score, 25-22.