Bronaugh grinds out first set, on way to win over NEVC

Matt Resnick/Daily Mail/ Bronaugh sophomore Kailey Harrell prepares to serve during the school's Dig Pink Night. Bronaugh went on to defeat the Northeast Vernon County Knights in two sets.

Nevada Daily Mail

After trailing early, the Bronaugh Wildcats volleyball team clawed back to take control of the first set, on their way to a 25-23, 25-17 victory over the Northeast Vernon County Knights, Thursday evening in Bronaugh.

On Dig Pink Night, the Knights came out hot, racing to a 7-1 lead. Bronaugh senior Martell Moore said the team might have been too hyped up before the match.

Matt Resnick/Daily Mail/ Northeast Vernon County Knights players Becky Jennings (left) and Karliegh Conner (right) discuss strategy during Thursday's match against the Bronaugh Wildcats.

"I think we got overly excited at the beginning," she said. "But then we calmed ourselves and realized we needed to step up our game."

Down 11-4, Bronaugh went on a run, taking nine of the next 12 points, to slice the lead to 14-13.

The Knights led late, clinging to a 22-21 lead. With 6-foot-1 Wildcat sophomore Katey Rider serving, the Wildcats blitzed NEVC, ending the set by taking four of the next five points.

Matt Resnick/Daily Mail/ Wildcat senior Martell Moore readies a serve.

"I was really happy with the way we came back in that game," Bronaugh coach James Frank said. "They gave us a couple of opportunities late that I didn't think we were going to get.

"I kind of resigned myself to potentially losing (the first set)," he said. "We dug ourselves such a big hole. But they made a couple of service errors and we came back and put some serves in play, and played really well there at the end.

"I was really proud of the effort, just to get back in it and stick with it. We came out and did a few things right, and then just didn't finish a lot of plays.

Matt Resnick/Daily Mail/ Bronaugh's Katey Rider (24) makes a play above the net.

"And then the ball hit the floor on us like crazy. And that's how they got that huge lead."

Frank said Moore sparked the team's comeback in the first set.

"She had a good service run ithat first set," he said. "Which really was kind of the catalyst that got us back in it. And then Katey Rider followed her up with another good run. We got 12 points back on them in two service rotations.

Matt Resnick/Daily Mail/ NEVC senior Tabitha McCoy, goes through her pre-serve routine Thursday night.

Frank said he was impressed with sophomore libero Kailey Harrell's play.

"She's good on defense, gives us that element, and she's a really good server," he said. "She hits a nice hard serve, and she is very consistent.

Frank added that Rider had a strong performance.

"She plays pretty solidly night after night for us," he said. "She is 6-1 and athletic and can get up and over the net."

In the second set, the Wildcats jumped out to leads of 11-5 and 17-10, never looking back.

Dig Pink Night

Members of the Wildcats helped with setting up a silent auction prior to the match.

"We donate money to charity every year, and this is kind of a tradition here," Frank said. "The girls are really serious not just about the festivities, but they take the cause seriously, which is a good thing.

Bronaugh plays today in the Golden Valley Vernon County Conference volleyball tournament at Walker.

In pool B play, the No. 2 seed Wildcats face No. 6 seed Sheldon at 8: 30 a.m. Bronaugh will play Miami at 1 p.m.

Hume is the top seed in the tournament. The championship game is slated for 5:30 p.m.