Lady Raiders gives Rams all they could handle, falls 3-0

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: October 17, 2018

BELLEFONTE – The maturation process of the Bellefonte volleyball team has still beginning to blossom.

Despite, falling to visiting Penns Valley 3-0, the Lady Raiders pushes the Rams to the limit, falling 25-19, 25-16 and 25-16.

With the Rams looking to be heading to the post season, the bar they have set was almost reached by the young Red Raider team.

The game was the complete opposite of when the two met in the first meeting of the year.

“They’ve made some major improvements and they know what they need to work in continually. I am very proud of how they worked together and how they worked hard together,” said Bellefonte coach Toni Nikki Bondura. “They didn’t give up and they didn’t give up on themselves. I think that was the best part.

In the opening contest, the Red Raiders cane out like a house of fire pulling out to a 4-2 lead thanks to three early service points by Phoebe Rowland.

Back came Penns Valley, tying the game with a side out and a service point by outside hitter Emma Butler.

Bellefonte got the ball back and in the hands of McKenna Hendrix. Hendrix was sharp with her serves, putting her team back up 7-5.

The two stayed within two points of each other for much of the contest.

With the game tied at 16, the Lady Rams started slowly pull away from Bellefonte as Isabella Culver.

Culver sizzled from the line as she posted four consecutive service points. In the run, the two teams became intrenched in numerous long volleys.

When the Red Raiders got the ball back, the Rams led 19-16.

From there the two exchanged side outs twice.

Leading 21-18, Jaden Butler added a service point thanks to a spike by Brooke Rossman.

Bellefonte got the ball back when Rowland plastered a spike of her own.

But the Rams got the ball back directly as Rossman finished off the side out with a spike.

Leading 23-19, the Rams finished off the game with two consecutive service points by Penns Valley, taking the contest 25-19.

In the second game, the battle continued as the two would keep it close until the game was tied at eight.

Penns Valley got the side out point and gave it to Jayden Butler and she gave them an 11-8 advantage.

In the run, Emma Butler found an opening in the middle on consecutive volleys.

Bellefonte got the the ball back on the side out, cutting it to 11-9.

But Penns Valley got the ball right back and then it would be a combination of three service points by Brooke Emel and three by Emma Butler, extending the lead to 17-10.

Bellefonte scraped and scratched it’s way into the game, cutting it to 20-16, led by Alexia Mishock’s three service points. In it was another spike by Rowland and a block by Shaelah Pepperman.

But that comeback would be short lived as Marissa Stecko would end it with four consecutive service points, two of that ending on spikes by Emma Butler, winning 25-16.

In the final game, Penns Valley broke out to an early lead and was able to keep Bellefonte at bay, en route to the 25-16 victory and the series win 3-0.

Bellefonte will be back in action Wednesday when they travel to Tyrone.

In JV action, the Red Raiders pushes the Rams to a final third game before falling late.