The high school volleyball rematch between Rockbridge County and Parry McCluer was more competitive than their first showdown, but the result was the same, with RC earning a 3-0 home win on Monday night in Lexington.
The Wildcats (2-5), who had won 3-0 at PM in the season opener on Aug. 25, were tested by the Fighting Blues (1-6), but RC secured its first home victory with a 25-15, 25-21, 25-23 triumph. At PM, the Wildcats had notched a 25-20, 25-13, 25-9 victory.
RC got off to a strong start in the rematch, with Cesi Beidle getting a pair of her match-high 11 kills to help the Wildcats build up a double-digit lead in the first set.
In the second set, the Wildcats held a small lead most of the way before the Blues battled back and went on a 6-0 run to cut it 23-21. After a PM error, RC’s Tadara Cooper ended the set with a kill.
The third set was a back-and-forth battle, with the Blues taking a 12-10 lead before the Wildcats scored the next four points. RC would go up 23-19, but the Blues weren’t done, winning the next four points to tie the match at 23-23. PM then missed the serve, and Beidle ended the match with an ace.
Other than Beidle, who had 10 digs and three aces, RC’s leaders were Geneva Snyder with seven kills, eight digs and three aces; Emerson Duff with four kills and a block, Braelyn Polly with nine digs, and Eden Camden with 25 assists in her first varsity match. Camden, a freshman setter, moved up from the junior varsity squad in place of Allison Licona-Asto, who was out with an injury.
Josie Martinez led PM with six kills and had two blocks and two aces, while Jorja Catlett registered four kills, 11 assists and four aces. Presley Camden paced PM with 18 digs and served up two aces, while Ciara Hamilton had 10 digs and a pair of aces, and Jaelyn Manning chipped in three kills.
Both teams will play on Tuesday, with the Wildcats at Shenandoah District rival Waynesboro, starting with JV action at 6 p.m. PM will start Pioneer District play at home against Narrows, beginning with the JV match at 5:30 p.m.
For the full stories on this week’s action, with photos from Monday’s match, please see our Sept. 23 newspaper.
