CRESTVIEW — Crestview High School’s volleyball team still has some growing up to do between now and the end of the season. And perhaps the Bulldogs took a step in that growth process Thursday night.
Two nights after dropping a disappointing district match to Niceville Crestview came back to beat Pace in four sets by scores of 25-23, 22-25, 25-15, 26-24.
“We are hanging tough is what we are still doing,” Crestview Coach Kathy Combest said. “We played better against Niceville than we did tonight. We just need to keep going.
“Pace is still a team we have to be ready for. We didn’t let down (after dropping the second set) and give it over to them. My girls are going to play hard and get it together.”
The Bulldogs (3-5) came out of the gate quickly taking an early 8-2 lead in the first set.
As was the case throughout the night Kierra Potts and Molly Kitchen were in the middle of Crestview’s scoring as Potts had a kill and Kitchen a block.
The Bulldog lead increased to 19-10 and it looked as if Crestview would make quick work of the first set when Pace came back. The Patriots went on a 10-4 run to close the Bulldog lead to 23-20.
A Cailey Ness kill pushed the Crestview lead to 24-20. Pace closed to within a point at 24-23 before Nichole LeFerve slammed home the deciding point for Crestview.
Up 21-16 in the second set after a kill by Potts it looked as if the Bulldogs would pull away to go up 2-0 in the match. That wasn’t the case as Pace rallied back to outscore Crestview 9-1 down the stretch to take the set.
Marisa Rogers and Potts led the way as Crestview jumped to a 9-1 lead in the third set and was never challenged.
The fourth set started out well for Crestview as LeFerve kept the Patriots off balance with her serve and Christa Johnson cleaned things up at the net. The Bulldogs led 7-1 when Pace came clawing back into the set.
The Patriots were up 18-14 when the Bulldogs rallied to win.
Potts powered the rally as Crestview came back to take the set and the match.
Potts led the Bulldog attack with 15 kills, eight blocks, three aces and an assist. Kitchen had 13 assists, six blocks, four kills and two aces. Rogers led the Bulldogs with 17 assists to go along with five aces and five kills.
LeFerve contributed seven kills, six blocks, three aces and two digs.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs hold off Patriots