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South Putnam hangs with Warriors in 4 games
The South Putnam volleyball team battled a tough Covenant Christian squad Tuesday, forcing the Warriors to four games, but ultimately losing 25-19, 25-19, 23-25 and 25-18.
The Eagles were able to withstand the Warriors' Laura Johnson powerful net play and deft serving to hang with Covenant Christian in each of the four sets.
"I told the girls it's going to be a great game and when you're all on and they were tonight," South Putnam head coach Renata Hendrickson said. "Covenant Christian was a great team. We played well, we made some mistakes and that happens in volleyball games. They played as a team and I couldn't be more proud of them."
The Eagles dropped the first two sets, but were within striking distance in each. The difference came down to simple mistakes on the part of the Eagles that were able to give the Warriors enough of an edge to come away with the wins.
Their fortunes changed in the third set when they were able to capitalize on miscues by the Warriors. The scoring was back and forth with South Putnam seizing a small lead only to see Covenant Christian come back and tie the game, eventually moving ahead of the Eagles to the tune of 22-19.
Instead of watching the Warriors close out the match as they had in the previous two sets, South Putnam went on the offensive rallying back with Mallory Cash serving. Cash scored an ace to tie the game 22-all. After the Warriors tacked on another point, South Putnam ran off the next three points to take the win in the set.
A wide shot from Covenant Christian tied the game at 23-all, then Emily Dabkowski blasted a kill to move the Eagles in front 24-23. Teammate Brooke Boetjer slammed a monster kill of her own to close out the game with South Putnam winning 25-23.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, the momentum they captured in the third set eluded them in the fourth. They had moments where they looked ready to take control and possibly take the set, but the Warriors were able to mount multiple point spurts to stay in front. In the end, South Putnam wasn't able to recapture their lost momentum and fell to Covenant Christian 25-18 in the fourth set.
Hendrickson said there are some things the team needs to work on, but they're playing together and that's what they need to continue to progress with.
"We got in the net a few too many times tonight," she said of things the Eagles need to work on. "But just keep playing together. That's what we got to keep doing. They're getting better and better at that and they need to continue talking and knowing where each other are at. They did great tonight."
On Monday, South Putnam lost to Southmont in three sets 25-16, 25-20 and 25-22.
The Eagles will travel to Monrovia Monday at 7 p.m.
At South Putnam
Covenant Christian 25 25 22 25
South Putnam 19 19 25 18