Lady Eagle volleyball starts it’s run for second state title; tops Forest Hills 3-0

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: October 30, 2019

Bald Eagle 3, Forest Hills 0

FH 12 18 7

BEA 25 25 25

By Kenny Varner

WINGATE – The first steps have been taken for the Bald Eagle Area Volleyball team as they opened their defense of their District 6 title and their State title in a 3-set sweep over ninth seed Forest Hills Tuesday at the Bald Eagle gym.

Bald Eagle won 25-12, 25-18 and 25-7.

Grace Hugar was deadly from the corner as she hit numerous cross court blasts to spark the Eagles’ offense.

Hugar and teammate Madison Rockey was also an intimidating force upfront as the Rangers were feeling their wrath for the three-game match.

Rockey also finished her night with 31 assists.

Hugar has 11 kills while teammates Katelyn Smitchko and Lacee Barnhart followed up with seven.

Smitchko and Rockey both had three blocks apiece.

Lexi Skripek was very busy as she collected 20 digs.She also had three aces.

“We were a little sloppy tonight. I thought our ball control was a little funky. They run a different offense. Their hitters hits a ball way inside and it took a little time for our 10 blockers to set a better shot, so it jumped up our defense a little bit,” said Bald Eagle coach Lawrence Campbell. “Our blockers did a good job of understanding. We had some things we wanted them to do. It wasn’t until set three that we started set proper blocks.”

Holding a 2-0 set advantage, the Eagles saved their best for last as the sizzled from beginning to end.

After a side out, Rockey with the help of Hugar’s blasts and a Jocelyn Hyde blast, picked up three consecutive service points, taking a 4-0 lead.

The Rangers battled their way back into the game as it was able to tie things at four thanks to three service points from Kenzie Colosimo.

But the Eagles stopped them there, thanks to another cross court blast by Hugar.

Hugar took her turn at the service line and roll of 15 consecutive service points.

During the run, Hugar got help from a Smitchko blocks, clutch hits from Barnhart and Elita Brown.

After a Forest Hills side out, making it a 20-5 contest, Madeline Cecere notched her teamtwo more points, giving the ball back to Bald Eagle trailing 20-7.

Rounding out the scoring was Skripek as she also sizzled from the line en route to the 25-7 victory.

Forest Hills gave the Eagles their most competition, falling just 25-18.

Most of the Rangers scoring came in late as the Eagles were about to put the game away.

In the first set, the Eagles fell behind early 4-1.

But Bald Eagle just went right to work chipping their way back into the game.

The game was an early back-and-forth match that was tied midway through at eight.

From there, the Eagles went on it’s first year of the night outscoring the Rangers 17-5 the rest of the way to take the contest at 25-12.

“All in all it was a good win,” said Campbell.

With the win, Bald Eagle awaits the winner of the Philipsburg-Osceola and West Shamokin and will host them Thursday night.

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