Cowgirls Defeat Savage In Four
An outstanding first set highlighted Culbertson’s volleyball victory over Savage at home on Thursday, Sept. 23.
The Cowgirls earned the win by a 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 2725, final.
Culbertson Coach Tiffany Nielsen was pleased with her team’s net play especially from Makena Hauge and Kenadee Kempton. “Kenadee Kempton has really come on in the C position,” Nielsen said. “We had some good swings.”
The coach was disappointed with the Cowgirls’ serve receiving in the match.
“We’re going to focus on serving because that killed us tonight,” Nielsen said.
In the first set, Culbertson gained a 9-2 with the hard hitting of Destiny Thompson and Hauge leading the way.
Ahead by an 11-5 margin, the Cowgirls struck with two kills by Hauge, an ace by Kempton and an ace by Hauge for a 14-6 advantage.
After kills by Thompson increased Culbertson’s lead to 21-9, Savage battled back to 22-15 on a tip by Raigan Smith, an ace by Teah Conradsen, an ace by Cambry Conradsen and two kills by Brooke Reuter.
The Cowboys took a 23-16 lead and then finished the set on two blocks by Hauge.
The second set was even at 22-22 until Savage moved ahead on a kill by Karley McPherson and a block by T. Conradsen. The Warriors won the set, 25-22, on an ace by McPherson.
Culbertson moved ahead 16-14 in the third set on two kills by Hauge and an ace by Perla Burciaga.
After Savage regained the lead, the Cowgirls answered with kills by Hauge for an 18-18 deadlock. An ace by Alicyn Ator and a kill by Koree Marchwick put Culbertson ahead 21-20.
With the set even at 21-21, the Cowgirls tallied the last four points including a spike and ace by Thompson.
The serving of Ator along with kills by Thompson and Kempton led the Cowgirls to an 18-12 lead in the fourth set. Culbertson enjoyed a 22-16 lead until Savage closed the gap to 22-21 on a kill by T. Conradsen.
The Warriors went on to take a 25-24 lead, but Culbertson struck for the final three points including two on kills by Thompson.
Hauge finished with 24 kills, eight blocks, one ace and 15 digs. Marchwick accounted for one ace, four kills, 18 assists and 12 digs.
Thompson added 10 kills, five aces, one block and 20 digs. Kempton had one ace, three kills, eight assists and four digs. Burciaga scored two aces, one kill, two blocks and seven digs. Ator had two aces, one kill and 17 digs.
Leading Savage’s attack were T. Conradsen with 11 kills, Reuter with three kills and McPherson with seven kills. Mya Jorgensen had 24 assists.
The Cowgirls will compete at the Lambert Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 2.
