Dayton Rallies To Best WP

WAITSBURG - The WP Lady Cardinals were defeated by the Dayton Bulldogs in four games of Blue Mountain League volleyball action last Tuesday. It was intense, inyour face volleyball action filled with long vollies as the two rival teams battled it out in Kison Court.

The Cardinals started off red hot scoring first and then following it up with three kills from Ronnie "Hammer" Hulce to give the Cardinals a 7-3 lead.

The Cardinals were the first to exercise its time out after the Bulldogs rallied and took the lead 9-7 after two failed WP attacks.

A failed attack by the Bulldogs and a kill from both Hulce and Dionna Baker would give the Cardinals back the lead, but the Bulldogs rallied with a block from Shelby Smith and McKayla Bickelhaupt and an ace from Nicole Lambert sparked the Bulldogs and they were up, 18-14.

The Cardinals would return from their second timeout to attack the Bulldogs with single kills from Hulce, Baker, and Krystal Harris to pull within two, 18-20.

The Bulldogs would score off of two failed Cardinal attacks but the Cardinals came back with a kill from Baker, a Sarah Mascall ace, and a Baker block to tie the game at 22.

Dayton was called for two back to back double hit calls to put the Cardinals at game point 24-22.

A missed Cardinal pass scored one for the Bulldogs, but they missed their next serve giving the Cardinals a game one victory, 25-23

The Cardinals jumped to 7-2 lead in game two, but the Bulldogs rallied with two kills and an ace from Bickelhaupt to tie it up at 8.

The intensity was maintained as the two teams delivered kills back and forth all the way to a 20-all tie.

The Cardinals missed a serve and sent a tip too deep to give the Bulldogs a twopoint lead.

The Bulldogs missed its next serve, but was put into game point as the Cardinals missed one as well and couldn't complete a volley.

Bulldog Shelby Smith sent a pass deep in the Cardinal court that the birds couldn't dig up and the Bulldogs took game two, 25-22.

The Bulldogs dominated game three jumping to a 12-3 with three kills from Bickelhaupt.

Down 12-3 the Cardinals sparked a little offense with multiple kills from Hulce, Baker, and Amanda Cook, but it wasn't enough to keep the Cardinals momentum going and the Bulldogs took game three 25-18.

"We had a lot of unforced errors," said Cardinal Coach Angie Potts. "We didn't play very smart by using key players when we needed."

It was do- or- die time for the Cardinals and even though the game was full of long vollies they soon found themselves in the hole, 9-1.

Smith was on fire for the Bulldogs in game four racking up four hits in that game as the Bulldogs quickly found themselves at game point 24-19. A kill from Cardinal Krystal Harris and a dropped ball on the Dayton court put the Cardinals within three, but Smith sent an attack deep into the Cardinal left corner and the Bulldogs won the match with a gamefour win, 25-21.

"We moved me outside in game four," said Hulce. "But I just wasn't getting set so I didn't have very many opportunities for kills in that last game."

"We let that first game get away from us and we just couldn't finish." said Dayton head coach Shannon Turner. "We travel to Asotin Thursday and they'll be tough, we're going to need to bring our 'A' game."

Bickelhaupt led the Bulldogs with 18 kills and 22 digs. Lambert had 9 kills and 21 digs and went 22/23 from the line. Smith racked up 11 kills and 3 blocks and Darci Hall led with 18 assists. Courtney Mings had a good night with 5 blocks and 100 percent serving and Jessica Tate had 17 digs and 100 percent serving.

"Hammer" Hulce led the Cardinal with 16 kills and 2 block and Kayla Huxull hustled around the court to tally up 33 assists and 2 blocks.

Baker had 8 kills and 3 blocks and Amanda cook had 7 kills and 100 percent serving.

The Cardinals played at Walla Walla Valley Academy Wednesday night and results were not available at press time.

The Bulldogs travel to Asotin Thursday to battle the Panthers at 6 p.m. for the top spot in the league.