CRESTVIEW — Next week the Crestview High School volleyball team will face a gauntlet of four matches in four days.
The Bulldogs open the week at home against Milton on Monday. Crestview then travels to Navarre for a District 1-7A match against the Raiders on Tuesday and finishes out the week at home against district foes Fort Walton Beach on Wednesday and Tate on Thursday.
Crestview-Pine Forest volleyball photos>>>
The Bulldogs will have a little momentum heading into the big week. Thursday night Crestview swept Pine Forest in straight sets 25-19, 25-19, 25-15. The win comes on the heels of a sweep at Escambia on Tuesday.
“We are definitely are coming together,” Cailey Ness said. “I think this really helps us to build as a team and to communicate better and to know that we can do well against other teams.
“We are working hard, hitting the ball hard and playing together.”
Early in the first set the teams traded points. Pine Forest led 9-6 when a point by Ness sparked the Bulldogs (9-6) to a 7-0 run that put Crestview in front in the set for good.
Marisa Rogers helped the run with a kill and Pam George and Nichole LeFevre teamed up for a block to cap the run.
The Eagles did get to within a point at 13-12, but a kill by George ended the Pine Forest threat. George added another kill down the stretch and Kierra Potts turned in two kills as Crestview took the first set.
Pine Forest jumped in front 8-1 in the second set. A timeout by Bulldog Coach Kathy Combest had a calming influence on Crestview.
A score by Potts was soon followed by a Molly Kitchen kill and an ace by Rogers as Crestview scored seven straight points to tie the set.
The Eagles did regain the lead and led 14-12. A Pine Forest net violation pulled Crestview to within a point of the Eagles. A Ness kill tied the set as the Bulldogs took charge and outscored Pine Forest 13-5 down the stretch to move in front 2-0.
The third set was anticlimactic.
Crestview raced to a 5-0 lead with LeFevre in serve and never looked back in finishing off the sweep.
“We are still not doing things the way I want,” Combest said, “but we are trying to cut down on our mistakes. They aren’t giving up and they have to fight all the time.
“Next week is going to test us. I’ll know Monday if they are ready to pass the test.”
Potts led the Bulldogs with 14 kills. Rogers had 13 assists and eight kills. Molly Kitchen added 20 assists and five kills.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs take down Pine Forest (PHOTOS, VIDEO)