VOLLEYBALL BATTLE

Within the last week the Corbin and Whitley County volleyball programs have gone in different directions. Corbin started the season with three wins in their first five games, but in the last week they have lost seven of eight games.

On the other hand Whitley County won three of their first seven but have since won six of seven games including Thursday night’s 2-1 victory at Corbin’s Campbell Gym. Whitley County came from six down (19-13) to win the first set, 25-21. Corbin pulled away to win the second set, 25-20. The rubber game saw Whitley County grab the early lead then gradually pull away for a 25-15 win.

Corbin (4-9) had trouble getting its serve down at times. “Our serving game was pathetic,” Corbin Coach Alecia Elwell said. “What happens when you are all out of sync like this, the one thing that keeps your team together is a serve. You don’t do what we just did tonight.

“If we don’t get our heads together this is what it is going to be like the rest of the year,” said Elwell. “They are going to have to me mentally tougher than they were tonight.”

With one starter already out, senior Melanie Sutton and another starter sick, Kayla Kuhl, Elwell was forced to change her lineup. “Our middle was missing because she was sick and we put our outside hitter in the middle. Bless her heart she did her best but it was obvious for us,” Elwell said.

“We had an outside hitter taking her place. You could tell she wasn’t comfortable,” said Elwell.

Corbin jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening game and pushed the lead out to 7-2 on three unanswered points by Morgan Brock.

Thanks to the play of Candice Powell, Whitley County went on a 7-2 run of their own and tied the game at 9-9. Powell had two aces and two kills in the run.

The Lady Redhounds retook the lead and eventually went ahead, 19-13 on a Morgan Brock serve. However, Whitley County closed the gap to two (19-17) before Vanessa Wiseman’s kill gave Corbin a 20-17 score.

Powell again showed her strength with a kill and Whitley County 3-0 run and took a 22-20 lead. The Lady Colonels went on to the 25-21 win.

It was nip and tuck the second game as the teams battled back and forth until it looked as if Whitley County was going to end the game early with a 12-8 lead. Corbin caught the Lady Colonels at 13-13. The game was tied at 15 and 17 before Corbin nosed ahead 19-17 on a kill by exchange student, Petra Kover. The Lady Redhounds never trailed again, winning 25-20, setting up the third and final match.

The third game was tied six times in the early going before Whitley County took the lead for good on a Chelsea Nipper serve. The rally point gave the Lady Colonels a 9-8 lead and that when Brittany Sergent scored two points and gave Whitley County a little bit of a cushion.

That cushion provided a lead that the Lady Colonels would never lose. Whitley County took a 16-10 when Elwell called a time-out. Corbin got within 17-13, but the Lady Colonels pulled away with three straight points, taking the fight out of Corbin. Whitley County won, 25-15.

“It was a big district game,” said Whitley County Coach Alicia Whitworth. “I think we played a little nervous, but it was a big game.”

“We started slow, but we finished strong,” said assistant coach Fawn Greer.