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Pewitt’s Avery Perry prepares to serve while Ashtyn Boyd (left) and Natalie Cobb (right) get in position during Friday’s district playoff against Queen City. The Lady Bulldogs won the match, 3-1. Pewitt’s volleyball season ends at 20-12. TRIBUNE PHOTO / QUINTEN BOYD
All season, the Pewitt Lady Brahmas had to battle with teams who held a height advantage over them. Unfortunately, in their district playoff at Hooks against Queen City, that height disadvantage proved to be tough to overcome one more time.
The Lady Brahmas battled, but the height of the Lady Bulldogs and an aggressive style of play at the net from Queen City hurt the Lady Brahmas in a 3-1 (25-19, 11-25, 19-25, 13-25) loss.
Queen City jumped out to an early lead in set one, but Pewitt battled back to tie it at 6-6 after a kill by KK Jackson. A block by Hally Taylor followed by an ace by Taylor put the Lady Brahmas ahead 12-10. Consecutive kills by Avery Perry, Taliyah Brown and Makenzie Bottoms pushed the lead to 17-13 and Bottoms and Taylor each added aces late in the set. A kill by Bottoms gave Pewitt a 23-17 lead and a few moments later, a kill by Perry brought up set point. Queen City hit into the net to give Pewitt the opening set.
Queen City started to play their height advantage, playing through the Oden sisters, Serenity and Trinity, in the front court. Pewitt jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Queen City negated Pewitt’s strategy of hitting away from Queen City’s height by dropping their players back into the middle of the court. The Lady Bulldogs finished the second set with 14 consecutive points.
In set three, Queen City jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Two kills from Bottoms and two net calls against the Lady Bulldogs helped pull Pewitt back into the set. A nice service run by Jackson allowed Pewitt to tie the set at 1111 and a kill from Brown gave Pewitt their first lead of the set. Unfortunately, a run from the Odens gave Queen City a 17-14 lead. Pewitt tried to bounce back with kills from Jackson and Ashtyn Boyd, but Queen City finished the third set with consecutive aces.
Queen City again jumped out to an early lead in set four but Pewitt battled back to make it 6-5. Queen City regained the momentum after Pewitt made the score 14-10, finishing the set and the match on an 11-3 run to claim the final playoff spot in the district.
The Lady Brahmas usually negated a team’s size advantage with their heart and strategy, but Queen City’s height and aggressive play ruled the day in the finale.
The Lady Brahmas’ season ends at 20-12 overall. It was the final game for seniors McKayla “KK” Jackson, Makenzie Bottoms and Hally Taylor.