Alma hosted Southern Valley on Tuesday night, and the gym was LOUD. Wow, what an environment to be in, but when it's a rivalry matchup like this, we shouldn't be shocked. It took five sets to determine a winner tonight, and it was a solid contest, and Southern Valley came out on top in the match, 3-2.
Southern Valley jumped out to the early 2-0 lead in set one but not before the Cardinals evened it back up at 2-2. Southern Valley was able to string together a small run to force Alma to use a timeout early in the set as they trailed 9-3. Alma was able to get within two as they trailed 16-14 before the Eagles went on another run to force the Cardinals to use another timeout as they now trailed 23-16. Alma responded out of the timeout as they closed in on the Eagle lead at 24-20 and made them use a timeout. Southern Valley took set one, 25-21.
In set two it was a similar story, Southern Valley began the set with an ace and jumped to the 4-0 lead. Alma adjusted and found a spark to take over the lead at 6-5 but Southern Valley evened it back up at 10-10. The Cardinals found another gear and went on a big run to force an Eagle timeout at 16-11. Alma went on to win set two 25-15.
The Cardinals came out swinging in set three and jumped out to the lead early in the match, 4-0. Southern Valley wasn't going to make it easy, they climbed back into the match and evened it up at 10-10. Alma was able to push to create separation, but not much, to take set three, 25-21.
Southern Valley took the lead early in set four but not before Alma took the lead at 6-5. After a lot of service errors from both teams, it was knotted at 16-16 and a timeout was taken by Alma. It was a lot of back and forth but Southern Valley took the lead and went on to win the set, 25-20.
Alma took the 2-1 lead in the fifth but then momentum shifted to the Eagles and they were able to take over. Alma used a timeout as they trailed 5-2 and when you are only playing to 15, you can't trail by much. Alma had to use another timeout when they trailed 14-9 and found a little bit of life left as they made a push to pull within one, 14-13. That is where it ended though as Souther Valley took set five 15-13 and the match, 3-2.
For Alma, the team served 18 aces and Chase Molzahn had seven aces, Miley Whitney had five aces, and Vayden Epp had three aces. Tierston Moore had 13 kills, Molzahn had 11 kills, and, Epp had seven kills. Moore and Molzahn each had three blocks in the match. Moore added 11 digs and Whitney had 22 digs and 32 assists.
For Southern Valley, the team served 11 aces and Brecklyn Hammond and Adi Hunt each had three aces. Hunt added 26 kills and Tori Bose had 19 kills and three blocks. Hunt had 12 digs, Vanesa Aguayo had 10 digs, Bose had 13 digs, and Hammond added 15 digs and 42 assists.
Alma is now 16-8 and will host SEM on Thursday. Southern Valley is now 14-6 and will host Maywood-Hayes Center on Thursday.
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