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Harts Bluff’s Alexis Gonzalez jumps for a spike as teammates Ally Cook (foreground), Kaitley Green (background, left) and Allie Mayfield (background, right) look on. The Lady Bulldogs split their two games last week. TRIBUNE PHOTO / QUINTEN BOYD
The Harts Bluff Lady Bulldogs are steadily growing and improving as they near their first official district game on Sept. 27 at home against Rivercrest.
The Lady Bulldogs have played an ambitious schedule – meaning that there are games where the team will take a few lumps but also games where they can showcase how far they’ve come since the program’s inception.
Last week was such a week as the Lady Bulldogs split their two games. Harts Bluff opened the week at home against Alba-Golden, dropping a tight 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-18) decision to the Lady Panthers.
Harts Bluff jumped out to a first set lead, going up 14-7 at one point before a contested call necessitated a replay of a point the Lady Bulldogs won. The Lady Panthers claimed the point after the contested call, seizing momentum. Harts Bluff and Alba-Golden battled for the rest of the first set with the Lady Bulldogs pulling within 23-22, before the Lady Panthers finished the first set.
Harts Bluff took the lead late in the second set, 1817, but errors hurt the Lady Bulldogs as Alba outscored them over the rest of the set, 8-1.
The third set was like the second set with Alba battling back from an early Harts Bluff lead, the Lady Bulldogs climbing their way back, but the Lady Panthers closing strong to claim the match.
Despite the loss, Coach Sivi Cheek was proud of her team’s effort and will to battle back against the Lady Panthers.
“Most of our errors were hustle errors – we were trying to make plays and the balls weren’t falling for us,” she said. “We’ve grown so much from where we started this year and I can’t wait to see how we continue to grow.”
Alexis Gonzalez finished with six kills, an ace and two digs. Kaitley Green added four kills, two aces, 10 assists and 10 digs. Kaylee Clay finished with four kills and an ace. Allie Mayfield put up two kills, five digs and six assists. Ally Cook had two aces and Anay Solorio had an ace and two digs.
Perla Solorio added 12 digs and Alexa Arzate put up 15 digs.
The Lady Bulldogs welcomed Yantis to Bulldog Gymnasium Friday to take on the Lady Owls. Harts Bluff bounced back with a big 3-0 win (25-11, 25-11, 25-13).
Gonzalez finished with four kills, an ace, a block and a dig. Green finished with six kills, three aces, four digs and five assists. Clay and Mayfield each finished with two kills.
Cook and Anay Solorio both had four aces and Mayfield added two of her own. Kaitlyn Le finished with three digs and Cook and Perla Solorio both added two digs. Mayfield also finished with five assists.
The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Sulphur Bluff Tuesday and will open district play for the first time next Tuesday at home against Rivercrest.