Dayton Spikes Cardinals In Four

DAYTON - Dayton net­ted a much-needed victory over valley rival and league foe Waitsburg-Prescott in four sets here Thursday, 25- 23, 12-25, 25-11, 25-13.

Bulldog McKayla Bick­elhaupt led all players with 16 kills, but it was her team's group effort during an 8-0 run to start the third set that turned the tide of the match. From there, Dayton steam­rolled WP the rest of the way claiming the third and fourth sets in convincing fashion.

Game one was a back- and-forth scrum that saw Dayton jet to a 7-2 lead fu­eled by WP hitting errors. a Samantha Federson ace and kill, supplemented by a string of Dayton errors, pulled the Cardinals back into contention down two points at 11-9.

Dayton expanded the lead to eight with an 8-2 run, and crept within six points of vic­tory at, 19-11. WP closed it to 21-17, scoring six points on six kills, with two each by Federson and Krystal Harris. It appeared the set was all wrapped up for Dayton at 24- 19, but WP fought off four set points to pull within one, 24-23, before Federson's surprise tip on WP's second hit fell short and into the net to end it at 25-23.

That close win (or loss depending on one's point of view) proved to be huge. Had Dayton lost, they would have face a 2-0 hole after the clinic the Cardinals put on in the second set. The set was tight up to 10-9, WP's favor. But from there it was all Cardi­nals as WP closed out the set on a dominating, 15-3, run to win, 25-12.

But momentum is a funny thing. Dayton shook off the confused looks they had just worn in their second-set beat­ing, and confidently pounded out an 8-0 lead to start set three. The run was fueled by three WP errors, and five Dayton kills-including two by Bickelhaupt and two by Madison Mings. WP closed the gap to four points at 9-5, but never got that close again, as Dayton finished the game on a 16-6 run.

The fourth set was more of the same as WP's frustra­tion showed. The set was tied as late as 6-6, but a 6-0 run pushed Dayton to a lead they would never relinquish. The set ended fittingly for the Cardinals as WP senior Har­ris hit her match point into the net on the final attack.

"When we play as a team, we play really well, and when we don't, we don't," WP coach Angie Potts said. "That's the difference. When they play together and they're talking, they're doing what they need to do. When things break down, they become hesitant, they separate, and it becomes more of an indi­vidual effort, which does not work in volleyball.

Dayton's coach said her team needs to continue to give their all on the court and highlighted the players of the night.

"We've been in this situ­ation before," said Dayton assistant coach Cassandra Thompson of being down after set two. "We need to play with heart and pull it out. Our passing wasn't where we need it in the second game. Going into the third game our passes were where we needed them again, so we were able to set up our offense."

McKayla Bickelhaupt and Jessica Tate both had a big improvement that night, Thompson said. "McKayla was playing very smart, and Courtney (Mings) did a fantastic job tonight also- 22-of-23 serving."

Tate led the Bulldogs with 21 assists, Madison Mings with 10 blocks, and Tate and Sarah Phillips each had 11 digs.

WP's Federson was tops for the Cardinals with 11 kills. Harris led the service effort with five aces.