OTTUMWA —
The Ottumwa Bulldog volleyball team fell to third-ranked Ankeny in three sets (25-5, 25-10, 25-18) Tuesday at Evans Middle School.
The Bulldogs just didn’t have enough firepower to contend with the Hawks’ size and power.
“We just needed to cover hitters more,” freshman outside hitter Ellie Hammack said. “We just needed keep our confidence up.”
Though the Bulldogs struggled in the first two games, they really battled Ankeny in the third and final game.
“We’re a pretty scrappy team,” Hammack said, “We knew we could play with them if we did our best.”
The Hawks jumped out to a 6-0 lead to start the third game, but the Bulldogs gamely battled their way back in the game’s later stages. A spike by Karissa Wilcoxson cut Ankeny’s lead to 15-8. Moments later, Megan Black got an ace that trimmed the Hawks’ lead to 6. Another ace by Black narrowed the gap to 15-10.
Ankeny managed to score a few more points, but a pair of kills by Katie Sammons kept the Bulldogs in the game. The Hawks made a few more self-enforced errors in the final game than they had in the previous two, which Ottumwa was able to capitalize on, just not enough to get a victory. Wilcoxson said Ankeny’s mistakes provided her team with a little extra momentum in the final game.
The girls hung tough in the game’s final minutes, winning a long rally that cut the Hawks’ lead to 24-17. The Bulldogs managed to get one more point, before the Hawks scored again to win the game and match.
The first two games were all Ankeny, as the Hawks used their size and strength to their advantage. Megan Ballenger, Moriah Johnson and others overwhelmed Ottumwa with an abundance of spikes. The Hawks dominated the first game 25-5 and second game 25-10.
“I felt like we played well, coach Jessica Carson said. “We didn’t quite have the hustle plays we normally have. We just need to take the game for what it is and grow from here.”
The Bulldogs (6-7) play at Mount Pleasant Thursday and they will host the Ottumwa Invitational Saturday at Evans Middle School.
Ankeny 25-25-25
Ottumwa 5-10-18
Ottumwa Statistics
Serving — Megan Black 9-9. Ellie Hammack 5-5, Katie Sammons 5-5, Chloe Davis 4-4, Beth Overturf 3-3, Olivia Roark 6-8. Team — 27-29. Aces — Roark, Sammons, Black 3. Team — 5.
Hitting — Black 10-16, Sammons 12-16, Hammack 4-5, Megan Cobler 4-5, Karissa Wilcoxson 4-5, Hope Bitner 4-6. Team — 48-64 Kills — Sammons 3, Wilcoxson 2, Hammack 3. Team — 8.
Setting — Davis 4, Overturf 3, Wilcoxson. Team — 8.
Blocks — Black, Sammons. Team — 2.
Digs — Black 7, Overturf 3, Sammons 2, Kelsey Guyette 2, Wilcoxson 2, Cobler, Roark 8. Team — 27.
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September 12, 2012
Spikers struggle against high-powered Ankeny
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