The Camp Verde High School girls volleyball team hosted the Coconino Panthers on Thursday, Oct. 4, as the Cowboys reached the midpoint of their 2012 season.
The Cowboys [4-8] and Panthers [6-6] took it to the court with fights for the ball, long rallies and hard kills. The game was characterized by exciting duels on both sides of the net, but the Panthers went home with the victory, winning 3 to 1.
The Panthers dominated the start of the first set by not allowing the Cowboys to score until the Panthers scored seven points. Despite that, Donnie Buss, Caitlin Harris and Viola Logston stepped up on defense, diving for saves to keep rallies alive and defending the net. Yet, the Panthers knew how to take advantage of the holes on the Camp Verde’s side early, especially by using junior Marissa Hoffman, who has a powerful and accurate kill shot. Harris had some great kills to get the Cowboys within four points. Then Katie Wilson had a series of points off her serves but the Panthers ultimately won the first set, 25-15.
The girls seemed to get a spark in the second set as they caught up to the Panthers’ six-point lead. Buss and Amanda Showers guarded the net and the Cowboys’ saves allowed them to score. In a fast-paced rally, Harris made a save which allowed Logston to tip the ball over the net for the tying point at 13-13. The Cowboys tied it up again at 16-16 before Harris’ kill took the lead for the Cowboys. Some miscommunication on Camp Verde’s part tied the game at 18-18, but serves by Harris led to a 23-18 score. A serve by Logston was too quick for Coconino, sealing the second-set win for the Cowboys, 25-21.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 10, issue of the Camp Verde Journal.
