Science Hill Wins Five-Set Thriller at West Ridge – TricitiesSports.com

by STEVE WILMOTH

TriCitiesSports.com

September 9, 2021

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – A 16-point Science Hill run and a 25-7 opening-set whipping of West Ridge certainly didn’t foreshadow the five-set drama that was to unfold Thursday night.

Instead, the Lady Wolves reset and played toe-to-toe with the ‘Topper timbers the rest of the way before falling, 25-7, 20-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-7.

“We came out playing really hard and really well, but wow, they totally answered back,” said Science Hill coach Laura Cook.

The victory moves the Lady ‘Toppers (4-1, 7-1) into a first-place tie in the Big 5 Conference standings with Dobyns-Bennett while the defeat may have knocked West Ridge out of the race as the Wolves fall two games behind with just three league matches left to play.

After the first set beating, West Ridge (2-3, 9-5) led most of the second. Science Hill closed to within one point on three successive occasions, but the Wolves got two Kasey Wampler kills and a Rachel Miller ace to stay out front.

Wampler perhaps did more resetting than any of the Wolves after being taken out for a short time to start the second set by West Ridge coach Logan Kemp.

“We didn’t warm up well and we came out flat and that carried over to the first set,” explained Kemp. “It was just a mental mindset shift including Kasey who had a mental reset and did a fantastic job coming back in and owning that spot,”

Another of Wampler’s ten kills pushed West Ridge out front 21-15. Rachel Miller finished off the set with a pair of kills as the Wolves evened the match.

Trailing 17-15 in the third stanza, West Ridge scored the first five points of an overall 9-2 burst capped by an Olivia DeLung kill to forge a 24-19 lead and eventually a 2-1 set advantage.

The fourth set was simply riveting volleyball, punctuated by determined defensive play and crisp offensive execution at the net. The frame was deadlocked at 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 before Science Hill scored three straight capped by a Kinley Norris ace and an Autumn Holmes laser to give the Lady ‘Toppers a 21-18 edge.

But back came West Ridge, starting with another Wampler kill, two Marleigh Pendleton aces and a blind over the shoulder winner by defensive specialist Bradlie Warner to put the Wolves on top, 22-21. It was 23-21 after an Izzy Musick kill and it seemed West Ridge was on the cusp of winning the match.

But a well-placed time out by Science Hill’s Cook broke the Wolves momentum and the Lady ‘Toppers took four straight points capped by another Holmes rocket to even the match at two sets apiece.

“We just had to pull together,” said Science Hill senior middle Jordan Hallman. “I could see it on everyone’s face. Normally in a situation like that, you’d be very timid, but we came together and persevered.”

The Lady ‘Toppers jumped out to a 5-1 advantage and controlled the deciding set. Two Rylee Haynie kills did get West Ridge back to within a point as did a Wampler winner at 7-6, but Science Hill answered with an ace from Holmes and Lia Gay kill facilitated by a spectacular diving dig by Lexi Kalogeros.

“We can’t finish that match if she (Kalogeros) doesn’t bring that up,” added Hallman. “She just has that grit.”

The length of Hallman and Holmes dominated the early going for Science Hill. Holmes, just a sophomore, finished with 18 kills, while Hallman, a Virginia Tech commit came through with 11 kills.

“Those two work so hard, they see the court well, they find the hole,” Cook said. “They swing away and they can see to put the tip down.”

Holmes added nine digs and two blocks while Hallman served two aces and notched three blocks.

“I have a bad tendency to tip to two and I feel like I broke that a little bit tonight by swinging more,” explained Hallman.

Gay connected for seven kills and Addison Stables pitched in with six.

Setter Kinley Norris, another six-footer, dished out 46 assists, had 13 digs, two aces, a block and also delivered six kills.

“Kinley really has taken ownership of running the offense, but also being a force up there at the net, too,” added Cook.

Norris said her height is a definite advantage at her position.

“It certainly helps a lot running a 6-1 offense,” said Norris. “You know all the rotations and the open spots and that helps your hitters and it works really well.”

Norris also fought through a painful jammed finger to produce her worksheet.

“This was a big conference match and it meant a lot,” added Norris. “I had to be out there.”

Defensively, Kalogeros came up with 25 digs and Maddie Fuller worked for 17.

“That’s what takes the wind out of your sails,” sighed Cook. “West Ridge did that all night. They got after it they really did.”

Allie Jordan led West Ridge with 25 assists. Pendleton picked up 13 and Rachel Miller 11.

“We have to play scrappy defense and frustrate hitters and we got some big ups in the second and third set,” noted Kemp.

In addition to Wampler’s ten kills, West Ridge got eight kills from Haynie and seven apiece from Miller and Musick.

In the first week of the season, Science Hill swept West Ridge at home, but a win in the rematch was more satisfying according to the Hilltoppers’ Hallman.

“I honestly liked this match more than when we swept. I like the grit. I like playing hard and I like the fight. It was fun.”