GREENVILLE – After absorbing a first-set loss at A.I. duPont, the St. Elizabeth volleyball team took advantage of its service game to win the next three sets and the match against the Tigers. It was the Vikings’ second victory of the season.
Set scores were 22-25, 25-19, 25-11, and 25-17.
A.I. was in control of the first set from the jump, taking a 10-3 lead on a Vikings hitting error and prompting a timeout from St. Elizabeth. The Tigers continued to add to the lead, getting a kill from Justice Washington after a great save to extend the lead to 18-10. But the Vikings had a run in them. A 5-0 run that included three aces from Alexis Testerman cut the A.I. lead to three, but the Tigers recovered. Shelby Lawhorne had an ace, and Washington stuffed an overpass to get it to set point. St. E’s made it interested by saving five set points, but a service error brought the first to an end.
The Tigers had a small lead through the first half of the second set, as big as three points, before the Vikings rallied to tie it, 10-10, on an attack error. A second consecutive missed shot by the Tigers put the Vikings on top for good. Olivia Justison (St. Matthew’s Parish) was a key offensive asset as St. Elizabeth extended its lead, scoring on a cross before delivering an ace that made it 18-13. Sirriya Cruz (St. Anthony of Padua Parish) scored twice on tip kills, and Ellie Koontz (St. Anthony of Padua Parish) and Ariel Garcia (St. Matthew’s Parish) also contributed points as the Vikings pulled even.
Testerman opened the third set with an ace, and after a bump by Lawhorne fell to the floor to tie it, the Vikings were in control. Testerman began a 6-0 run with a kill, and the lead continued to grow. Natalie Scott (St. Mary Magdalen Parish) served up consecutive aces, and Briahna Barlow added a twisting kill on the way to a 19-8 advantage. Garcia added two straight aces down the stretch to give the Vikings the lead.
The visitors continued with the momentum into the fourth set. Kills from Garcia and Testerman were part of a 3-0 start, but A.I. bounced back, taking a 7-6 lead on a St. E’s error. The Vikings, however, responded with the next five points, including an ace from Justison, to go ahead for good. Garcia was big in the fourth, scoring up front and from the service line. The serve was also a key for Cruz, who delivered back-to-back aces around a Tigers timeout, putting St. Elizabeth on top, 22-15. Testerman ended the match with an attack, and the Vikings celebrated their first triumph since opening day.
Garcia had 16 kills and six aces, while Cruz had 10 aces, Justin added 10 kills and four aces. St. Elizabeth had 31 total aces. The Vikings (2-5) will host Wilmington Charter on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Final statistics were not available for A.I. duPont. The Tigers (0-4) stay home for a match with Dickinson on Wednesday at 4:45 p.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
