Lady Bulldogs win one, lose one
DECATUR — The week started out on the right note Sept. 22 when the Decatur Lady Bulldog volleyball team played host to the Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy Lady Spartans at Decatur Middle School.
Because NWA Classical has no varsity team, the Lady Bulldog junior varsity played the match, minus the two seniors, Bronwyn Berry and Stephanie Sandoval. This forced Lilly Lee, Aaliyah Kumbera, Anette Hernandez, Jackie Mendoza, Annabelle Bell and Giselle Fuentes to play the entire match without any relief players.
The junior varsity managed to build a substantial lead in the first set, scoring 10 unanswered points, until a misstep by Decatur gave Classical Academy its first point of the contest. Decatur kept the pressure on the Lady Spartans until the midway point when Classical Academy made a run on the scoreboard. When Decatur reached setpoint (24), the Lady Spartans amassed five straight points before Decatur finally sent the ball past the backcourt for a 25-15 set win.
Classical Academy took a much more aggressive strategy in the second set, giving the Decatur junior varsity a workout and coming to within two when the Lady Bulldogs finally went on a run late and eventually took the set, 25-19.
The Decatur girls were able to stay ahead of the Lady Spartans to win the third and final set, 25-13, and the match in three sets.
The second match of the week at home pitted the Lady Bulldogs against the Life Way Lady Warriors. This outing turned out to be a much closer contest than the one played Sept. 1 in Centerton. The Lady Warriors took that match in straight sets.
In the opening set, the Lady Bulldogs put up four straight points before the Lady Warrior team put up its first. From that point on, the lead changed hands several times until the two tied at 20. Decatur jumped out in front, 22-20. Five straight points by Life Way gave the Lady Warriors the first set, 25-22.
The Decatur Lady Bulldogs continued to stay in the match but were never able to take a single set. The Life Way Lady Warriors took the next two sets, 25-21, 25-21, to win their second match against the Decatur Lady Bulldogs this season.