Sydney Neal splits the Tigerette defense and records a kill for Cascade. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
Matalee Keele slams home a kill in the first set against Marshall County. (Post Photo by Chris Siers )
Alivia Fannin goes full extension and makes the dig for the Lady Champs. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
BELL BUCKLE — It went down as a 3-0 sweep for the Cascade Lady Champions, but the home team had to fight off a pesky Marshall County Tigerette squad in the first and third sets to help secure the match victory on Thursday night.
Cascade was slow out of the gates and fell behind Marshall County 13-9 at one point in the first set, but rallied behind a pair of kills from Rylee Beifield and went on a run to stretch the first-set lead out to 21-15 at one point.
But a handful of Lady Champion miscues allowed Marshall County to rally and tie the first set at 24.
Even after tying the match late in the first set, Cascade’s Sydney Neal answered with an ace and followed with a set-clinching block to give Cascade a 26-24 first-set win.
While the first set came down to a couple of key points late, the second set was a total domination by Cascade.
The Lady Champs led 8-1 at one point in the second set, with the only Tigerette point coming on a kill early on.
In fact, the bulk of the Marshall County points in the second set came via Cascade errors and the Lady Champs rolled to a 25-11 dominant second set, to lead 2-0.
Hoping to put the match on ice, Cascade fell behind Marshall County and trailed 9-5 at one point before a kill by Neal gave Cascade needed momentum.
After stretching its lead out to 16-0 following a Matalee Keele ace, Marshall county began its rally and pulled within one point after a miscue left the Lady Champions up 19-18.
Little by little, Cascade reclaimed the momentum and after fending off Marshall County’s push that tied the third set at 22, got a pair of kills from Neal and Keele to secure the set and match.
Cascade will travel to Webb on Saturday for the Battle of Bedford, before hitting the road on Monday at Warren County.
CASCADE 3, MCHS 0
Set scores: 26-24, 25-11, 25-22
