CRESTVIEW — Powered by Kierra Potts’ 14 kills the Crestview High School volleyball team took down District 1-7A rival Navarre on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs won the match in four sets by scores of 25-14, 26-24, 24-26, 25-4.
The win set up a showdown for Crestview with district leader Niceville on Thursday night.
Crestview-Navarre volleyball photos>>>
“We played good, but we have to play good all the time,” Bulldog Coach Kathy Combest said. “We are small. We are not big like most teams that are in our district. But we have to play big and be where we are supposed to be.
“We dug the ball well tonight. Macie Adams did a great job.”
Crestview (14-8, 3-4) jumped to a quick 10-3 lead in the first set behind strong play from Adams and Marisa Rogers.
As quickly as the Bulldogs built the lead the Raiders erased it with an 8-1 run that tied the set at 11-11.
Back-to-back kills by Molly Kitchen and Cailey Ness turned the tide back in the favor of the Bulldogs. Crestview outscored Navarre 14-3 down the stretch as Potts delivered her first two kills of the night.
In what would become a familiar pattern in the match the Bulldogs jumped in front 11-2 in the second set only to see Navarre come roaring back to take an 18-17 lead.
The set was tied at 24-24 when Nichole LeFevre had a block and a kill to give the Bulldogs the win in the set.
Crestview was up 11-2 in the third set when the Raiders staged another comeback. Shelby Freeze led the Navarre charge with seven kills and a block as the Raiders took their only set of the match.
Combest adjusted the Bulldog defense between the third and fourth sets and Crestview shut Freeze and the Raiders down in the fourth set.
The Bulldogs took the lead at 2-1 in the set and never looked back as the Raiders were out of rallies and Crestview pulled away to the win.
Potts had seven blocks and an ace to go along with her 14 kills. Ness had 13 blocks and eight kills. Rogers had 12 aces, 11 assists, five blocks and two kills.
Kitchen led the Bulldogs with 12 assists. Kitchen also had five blocks and two aces.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs get big district win (PHOTOS, VIDEO)