Paden City Nets Mason-Dixon Title
Saturday was a another big day for the Paden City Wildcats Volleyball Team as the team traveled to Morgantown for the Mason-Dixon Conference Volleyball Championship. Two weeks prior the team had won the much-larger OVAC title, and hopes were high for a clean sweep of the team’s conferences.
The ‘Cats didn’t disappoint as they eliminated Clay Battelle in two straight sets, 25-15 and 25-12, in the semi-finals before taking down Morgantown Trinity in the Championship match – 23-25, 25-20, and 25-18.
After beating Morgantown Trinity Christian two weeks ago for the OVAC crown, the teams were pitted against each other for the fourth time this season. Trinity looked like they might turn the tables on the Wildcats as they opened up the match with an exciting 25-23 win in set one. The Wildcats made several comebacks in the set and were down 19-24 before they rallied to get within one, before Trinity got the last point.
Set two belonged to the Wildcats as they overcame some early set miscues to pull ahead, 24-20, and went on for the win on a Trinity serving error. In the final set the ‘Cats jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Trinity came back and the score was soon 6-6. Paden City took a 15-10 lead and increased it to 20-11 before closing out the match, 25-18.
Weber had 11 kills, four points – including an ace, six digs, and three blocks. Yeater finished with 10 points, nine kills, one ace, 14 assists, 41 sets, and 16 digs to lead the ‘Cats. Still had 18 assists, 51 sets, three blocks, four digs and two kills. Anderson finished with 13 digs, seven points, two aces, and one kill. Stackpole got seven points, two aces, three kills, and eight digs. Kline added four points, two aces, five kills, one block, and four digs. Dalrymple had one block, three kills, one assist, and one dig.
In the opening match against Clay Battelle, the ‘Cats seemed to be in control from the beginning, and with the score 22-15, Hope Weber went to the service line and ran off three straight – including a set-ending ace. Set two started with the Wildcats taking a 9-2 lead which they they increased to 18-4 before the Cee Bees tacked on three. The Wildcats went up 22-7, but Paden City responded and a combination from Mallory Yeater to Hope Weber finished the set with a kill.
Weber finished with nine kills, five points and an ace, six blocks and seven digs. Yeater got 10 assists, 32 sets, three points and an ace, four kills and 11 digs. Abbe Stackpole ended with six points, four digs, and three kills.
Cora Anderson had nine points, one kill and 13 digs. Maggi Still finished with six points with an ace, eight assists, 30 sets, two kills and three digs. Madi Kline chipped in with one kill, one dig and one block. Brandis Dalrymple got a block and a dig.
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‘Cats Fall In Tri-Match
Paden City Volley has had a lot of success this year under Head Coach Jennifer Yeater. With all underclassmen on the slate, the team has faired very well – winning the OVAC Class A title and Mason-Dixon Conference Championship.
On Wednesday, Oct. 24, the Wildcats fell to two of the state’s elite Class A teams in New Martinsville. The team lots its first match to the Williamstown Yellow Jackets in two sets, 25-19 and 25-20. In their second match against powerhouse Magnolia, who earlier defeated Williamstown, the Lady ‘Cats put up a good battle but fell short, 27-25 and 25-14.
Paden City started out on fire in the first set against Williamstown and took an 11-4 lead, but the Yellow Jackets broke serve and rattled off nine straight points to grab the lead, 12-11. The Wildcats got a point off a kill from Hope Weber to tie the set, but in the end, the ‘Jackets used superior hitting and serving to get the first set win as they outscored the ‘Cats, 13-7, down the stretch.
Set two started out with Williamstown geting the first four points before Paden City regained their composure and took a 6-5 lead. From there it was a chess game with the Yellow Jackets finally gaining the upper hand, 19-6, and hanging on for the 25-20 win.
Paden City was led by Mallory Yertaer with six points, five kills, 11 assists, 34 sets, seven digs, one ace, and one block. Weber added nine kills, six digs, and a point, plus one block. Abbe Stackpole came through with five digs, three points and three kills. Madi Kline got two points – including an ace, two kills, four digs and a block. Cora Anderson led the team in digs with 12, while scoring five points and adding an assist. Maggi Still was right behind in digs with 11 and had six assists on 26 sets. Brandis Dalrymple got credit for an assist.
In the match-up with Magnolia, Paden City took the lead at 5-4 and ran it to 22-17, before the Blue Eagles went to work with some hard Madi Winters kills to tie the first set at 23. The Wildcats broke serve and led 24-23, but the Blue Eagles tied it at 24. Paden City gained it right back on a service fault by the home team, but once again, Winters smashed one down to make it 25-25. Two straight points by Magnolia gave them the 27-25 overtime win in set one.
Set two was mostly Magnolia as the Wildcat girls were playing their fourth straight set and seemed to lose a little luster. The Blue Eagles’ front line players controlled the game for the most part as they cruised to victory to come out the tri-match winner.
For the Wildcats, Yeater ended with four kills, two points, one ace, 10 assists, 29 sets, and 13 digs. Still got six assists, 21 sets, three kills, and a dig. Weber came in with seven kills, 10 points, three aces, and three digs. Stackpole got three digs, three kills, and an assist. Kline added three points, one ace, one kill, one assist, and one dig. Dalrymple had a kill and an assist, and Anderson got five points and seven digs.
Coach Yeater said, “Overall I am pleased with how the girls played tonight. We had some really good moments, and then we had some rookie mistakes. We gave up too many errors, and the other teams turned them into points. We had two good point leads, and we let up, and you see what happened.”
“Instead of attacking the ball, we played it safe several times, and you can’t do that against teams like Magnolia and Williamstown. Heading into the Mason-Dixon Championship and sectional play, we have to maximize our effort and minimize mistakes. We are currently 22-8, and the girls have to bring their energy level up a notch, and communication on the court will be the key if we are to win,” Yeater added.