Lady Dawg volleyball earns opening day double-header sweep
By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press
The brooms came out on Tuesday for the Copperas Cove Lady Dawgs volleyball team as they swept their way to a perfect first day of the 2017 campaign.
The Lady Dawgs, from freshman on up to varsity, dominated in a double-header at Bulldawg Gymnasium Tuesday to open up the season.
Cove began the season with the 9A and 9B teams sweeping Mesquite Horn by scores of 25-16, 25-16 and 25-19, 25-22, respectively.
The junior varsity squad then fought off a close first set to win 27-25 before running away with set two 25-14.
The varsity squad continued the sweeping with a dominant (25-12, 25-19, 25-15) win over Horn in the final early match.
Cove began slowly allowing a 2-2 tie before outscoring Horn 13-3 to take control of the first set. Kills by Junior Jada Close, sophomore Janice Fa’aola and senior Talia Kinslow led the way for Cove.
After a couple hitting errors on Cove slowed the momentum briefly, kills by junior Aidan Chace and Close opened a 23-10 lead before a strong block by close gave Cove game point at 24-10.
A kill by Kinslow, assisted by Chace then ended the set.
Another slow start saw the Lady Dawgs fall behind 1-6 in set two before seven-straight points, paced by Chace kills, gave Cove an 8-6 lead.
Back and forth action kept the score within three points a block by Chace, a pair of points by Close, an ace by sophomore Leah Powell and a push kill by Chace gave Cove set-point at 24-17.
Horn prolonged the loss for a couple points before a net violation completed the set.
Horn again took the early lead in the final set until an 11-3 run put the Lady Dawgs on top 17-10. Kills by Chace, Kinslow and Powell led the way for Cove.
Kills by Powell and Close then opened the lead to nine, 20-11. Horn pulled within eight 23-15 before consecutive hitting errors cost them the set 25-15 and match 3-0.
Leading the Lady Dawgs in kills were Aidan Chace (11), Jada Close (10), Talia Kinslow (7) and Leah Powell (4). Junior Kristen Wasiak led in digs with 22 followed by Powell (8) and junior Aviyon Wilborn (7). Junior Kamryn Ash led in assists with 27 and Chace added nine. Chace also led in blocks with three followed by Close (2). Powell led with two aces and Close added another.
The Lady Dawgs returned to action in the second match of the doubleheader against East View with another sweep by the 9A team, (25-9, 25-6).
The junior varsity flex team also earned the sweep (25-15, 25-16); as did the junior varsity (25-17, 25-19).
The East View varsity gave the Lady Dawgs a little trouble but not enough to prevent the sweep.
Another 11 kill performance by Chace led the way offensively for the Dawgs. Fa’aola added seven followed by Close (6), Powell (5) and Kinslow (4).
Ash and Chace divided up the assists pretty evenly with Ash notching 18 to Chace’s 17. Wasiak again led in digs with 27 followed by Powell (8) and Ash (7). Ash also led in aces with three followed by Powell (2) and Wasiak (1). Fa’aola, Chace and Close all had one block each to lead the stat.
Cove returns to the hardwood this morning (Friday) for the Austin Tournament at Bowie High School. The Lady Dawgs play Lehman at 9 a.m. and Lanier at 11 a.m. before facing off county neighbor Lampasas at 2 p.m.