Nelson County outlasted the Parry McCluer High School volleyball team to claim a 3-2 victory in a marathon match in Buena Vista on Monday of last week.
The Fighting Blues would go on to split two Pioneer District away games, beating Craig County 3-1 on Tuesday of last week and losing to Bath County by a 3-0 count on Thursday, to wrap up the week at 2-10 overall and 1-3 in the district.
Last Monday, setter Lexi Robinson’s freeball kill on the Governors’ second match point propelled the visitors to a 30-28, 24-26, 23-25, 25-19, 15-13 victory. Robinson totaled 26 assists, seven kills and nine service aces – including aces on the first four points of the tiebreak set – as Nelson (3-6) avenged a 3-0 Sept. 9 home loss to the Fighting Blues.
Josie Martinez posted a match-high 22 kills in the hard-fought defeat for PM. Jorja Catlett tallied 37 assists and 13 kills for the Blues, and Presley Camden amassed 28 digs. Sophie Porterfield chipped in six kills for PM.
Even though the Blues came up on the wrong end of the scoreline, PM head coach Elle Kindred was thrilled with her team’s effort throughout a seesaw battle with the Governors.
“I told them that this is the team that I’ve been begging for since the beginning of the season,” Kindred said. “All of the things came together tonight. It was a neck-and-neck game, and we had a few more errors than they did – and so I think that’s what it came down to.”
The two teams set the tone for the match with an extended opening set that featured 17 ties and nine lead changes. Martinez and Robinson each picked up five kills in the frame, and PM had three set points before Nelson ultimately prevailed in extras.
The Blues responded by winning the next two stanzas by the narrowest of margins. PM’s defense got a big boost from sophomore libero Camden, who neutralized several Nelson hitters with an impressive performance on the back row.
“She’s always going to get a ball,” Kindred said of Camden’s defense. “She’s very good, and she adapts well to what I’m telling her. She’s always there; she’s trustable.”
PM still had to claw its way back at the tail end of the third set, when the Governors built up a 23-20 advantage. The Blues answered with five straight points, sandwiching kills from Martinez and Catlett around back-to-back aces from Sophia Bouchelle to take the lead in the game.
Nelson countered with an impressive fourth set – the only frame of the match that either team won by more than two points. Teagan Via notched four of her six kills during the stanza, and Kaydence Samuel chipped in three kills as the Governors forced a decisive fifth set.
After Robinson served up four straight aces to start things off, the visitors looked they would run away with the tiebreaker. But fueled by six kills in the set from Martinez, PM rallied to take an 11-10 lead.
Prior to Monday’s match, Kindred tweaked her lineup to have Martinez play all six rotations – instead of just on the front row – and the result was a career performance from the junior outside hitter.
“We switched the rotation tonight,” the PM coach said. “We had [Martinez] playing all the way around, and that was a game changer. I think her staying in the game kept her focused and kept her in it.”
Yet the Governors had one more rally in them, picking up two key aces from Willow Garrett and a Gabi Ramsey kill to create two match points at 14-12. Martinez fended off one with her 22nd kill, but Robinson’s free-ball finish on the ensuing rally capped off the game.
While disappointed that the Blues didn’t get the right result, Kindred suggested that her team should keep their heads held high.
“It stings anytime you lose, but [especially] since we went five sets and lost by two [points],” the PM coach said. “We have to find ways to control what we can control, and next time we’ll have that win.”
Samuel led Nelson with nine kills, and Ramsey finished with eight. Ciara Hamilton and Jaelyn Manning posted four kills apiece for the Blues, and Martinez also registered four aces.
PM Splits Pioneer Pair
PM regrouped quickly to claim a 3-1 district win at Craig County last Tuesday.
Martinez continued her good form with 13 kills as the Blues picked up a 25-14, 25-13, 2225, 25-22 victory over the Rockets (2-9 overall, 1-4 district). Catlett recorded 25 assists and eight kills, and Camden finished with 25 digs.
Bath County then swept the Blues by a 25-15, 25-15, 25-17 count. Martinez had five kills, and Catlett totaled nine assists against the Chargers (5-8, 2-2). Camden again paced the defense with 21 digs, and Porterfield served up four aces.
PM was slated to visit nondistrict foe Riverheads on Monday. The Blues will return to district action at home against Highland County on Thursday, and they’ll play host to Riverheads on Monday, beginning with junior varsity action at 5:30 on both nights.
ABOVE, PM sophomore Jorja Catlett (1) sets for teammate Sophie Porterfield. AT RIGHT, Porterfield and teammate Sophia Bouchelle watch as Catlett gets ready for the ball. Catlett led the Blues with 37 assists and had 13 kills. BELOW, PM sophomore libero Presley Camden gets in position to collect one of her team-high 28 digs while Bouchelle and teammate Emma Coffey (9) observe. (Ronnie Coffey photos)
