Bulldawg Tennis shuts out Ellison Eagles to move to 4-4 overall, 4-3 in District 12-6A

By TJ MAXWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Bulldawg Tennis team celebrated senior night in style as they earned a shutout win over the Ellison Eagles Tuesday at home to move to 4-4 overall and 4-3 in District 12-6A.

In boys’ doubles, seniors Carson Anderson and Adrian Alejandro defeated Ellison’s Mancera/Seo 6-1, 6-1 while the duo of juniors Brayden Smolen and Leviticus Gay shutout Ellison’s Finch/Kebsh 6-0, 6-0.

In girls’ doubles, seniors Berkley Kayhoe and Hannah Ridenhour earned a 6-2, 6-2 win for Cove over the Ellison duo of Wells Ateo/Camacho. The duo of sophomores Savannah Clawson and Paityn Kope also earned Cove a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ellison’s Salter/Mubley. The boy’s duo of seniors Cameron Day and Dedrick Whitley and the girls’ duo of senior Angelina Price/sophomore Elise Fuselier each notched forfeit wins.

In mixed doubles, the team of seniors Liliana Gray/Benjamin Fernandez earned a 6-2, 6-1 win over their Ellison counterparts.

Day was the only match where the Dawgs were challenged in the number six spot, but he pulled out the 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 10-8 win over Ellison’s Kebsh.

Fernandez defeated Camacho 6-2, 6-1 in the battle of no. 1s in boys’ singles. Alejandro also earned a two-set win over Ellison’s Seo 6-2, 6-0 in the no. 2 spot. Anderson won 6-1, 6-1 over Ellison’s Mancera in the third spot while junior DeAndre Colson earned a shutout win over Ellison’s Olson in the fourth spot and Whitley closed out the boys’ singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ellison’s Finch.

Gray took a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ellison’s Goodman in the no. 1 spot while Price defeated Wells Ateo 6-2, 6-0 in the second spot. Fuselier earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over the Eagles’ Moody while junior Rowan Wilkerson defeated Camacho 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth spot; junior Samantha Dunbar earned a 6-3, 6-3 win over Ellison’s Salter in the fifth spot; and Melodie Reed defeated Mobley 6-4, 6-3 to close out the sweep.

The Bulldawgs are back in action tonight with a non-district match against neighbor Lampasas before the playoffs begin in earnest with the bi-district matchup set for Oct. 26-27 at a location and time yet to be determined.

LDVB loses third of four district contests

The year 2020 has been crazy and that even translates to the volleyball court where the Lady Dawgs have lost an unprecedented three district playoff games out of their first four and currently sit in the fifth spot with one make-up game against Killeen left in the first round of district action.

After a pair of road losses to Killeen schools, the Lady Dawgs got back in the swing with a home sweep over Temple and were hoping to carry that momentum into Tuesday night’s home match against Ellison despite having an unplanned night off on Friday due to the coronavirus.

The Lady Dawgs never really found their groove offensively and the Lady Eagles were able to mount a varied attack that kept the Cove defense guessing.

Kills by junior Kyra Gaston helped the Lady Dawgs stay close in set one, but a 10-3 run by the Lady Eagles changed the complexion of the set. Kills by Adaizah Millett led the way for Ellison.

A block by Gaston was answered by two kills and a block by Ellison’s Adelia Puni pushed Ellison’s lead back to eight, 19-11.

Another Gaston kill and an ace by sophomore Jakhi Smith pulled Cove within six, but a 6-3 run led by kills from Puni, Kira Bass and Millett closed the set 25-16.

Ellison quickly jumped out front 11-3 in set two with kills by Puni and aces by Saniyah Hammonds and Mikayla Morgan.

A block by Cove junior Jamesia Moody along with kills by Gaston and senior Larissa Melendez pulled Cove back within three, 12-9. 

A block by Gaston slowed another Ellison run for an 18-14 score before a block by Alexis Barcinas and a pair of blocks by Bass gave Ellison set-point and a kill by Bass closed the set 25-17 for a 2-0 Ellison lead.

 Neither team could pull away in set three with Cove holding a slight edge with several lead changes and ties along the way. 

A kill by Ellison’s Puni knotted the set at 15-all before Melendez answered with her own for the 16-15 score.

A kill by Millett and a block by Puni gave Ellison a 21-19 lead before kills by senior Hope Chapman and Gaston, along with a kill by Gaston gave the edge back to Cove and another Gaston block gave Cove the set, 25-22, for a 2-1 Ellison lead.

The Lady Dawgs led early in the fourth set with a block by sophomore Aaliyah Butler, an ace by junior Jiya Edwards and a kill by Gaston leading the way.

Miscues allowed Ellison to tie the set at 10-all before both teams exchanged points until a kill and block by Gaston gave Cove the 16-14 advantage.

The Lady Eagles then finished on an 11-2 run to take the set 25-18 and the match 3-1 with kills by Puni, Millett and Hammonds; aces by Puni and Barcinas and a block by Barcinas.

The Lady Dawgs (5-5 overall, 3-3 in District 12-6A) will travel to Belton tonight to open round two of district play before heading to Bryan on Tuesday. The make-up game against Killeen is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bulldawg Gymnasium (varsity only).