From this point forward, most of the matches for the Volley Hounds will be against region opponents. They will go into that stage of the season, which began with a tri-match earlier this week on the road against Union Grove and Ola, already used to close contests in which the smallest break can be the difference between a win and a loss.
That was magnified last Tuesday in Warner Robins. After losing the first match to the host Demons, JCHS and Ace Charter played a full three games with the combined margin for error being 6 points.
“Something is happening to us in the second set. We’re hitting a lull or something and are not attacking the ball,” Lady Greyhounds head coach Kim Hanner said. “We have got to set the ball higher so our attackers will get to it, so that will be our focus, setting and attacking.”
The Volley Hounds, still playing without Isabella Bodnarchuk as she watched from the sidelines last week while still recovering from a knee injury, dropped the first game to the Gryphons 25-23 and won the second one by the same score to force the decisive third game. That win came after an early 13-6 before Ace fought back, getting within two points before tying the score at 20-20. JCHS outlasted Ace from there, winning 25-23.
The Volley Hounds fought from behind in the third game, coming back from down 4-1 to knot the score at 10-10 and ahead 12-10 on the strength of service points by Grace Faircloth prior to the Gryphons overtaking the Lady Hounds to win it.
