On Tuesday, the Alliance St. Agnes volleyball team started their season with a contest with Crawford. St. Agnes, under first year coach Kelsey Crane, battled the Rams in 2 hard fought sets but fell by the scores of 26-24 25-17. With the loss, the Crusaders began the year at 0 and 1. The affair was played in Hyannis as part of a quad tournament. Other teams involved were Hyannis and Cody-Kilgore. Tied at 24 in the opening set, the Rams were able to score the final 2 points to take the first. Crawford also broke away late in the set #2 to garner the win.
Set one saw both squads enjoy the lead. An early kill by Alliance’s Delaney Jelinek made the score 3 to 2 in favor of the Rams. Down 5 to 3 later in the set, the Lady Crusaders got a point by Grace Shrewsbury to stay close. An ace serve by St. Agnes’ Kale Hulquist later in the opener tied the score at 6. Alliance took their first lead later on 2 points by Quinn Robertson and a kill by Alexis Shelmadine. Another kill by Hulquist gave the Crusaders a brief advantage at 12 to 11. Down 16 to 14, two more ace spikes by Hulquist knotted the game at 16. St. Agnes’ Addison Intermill then added a point and a kill as Alliance took a one point lead. Momentum then went to the Rams. Crawford surged ahead 24 to 21 before three straight points by Crusader Aubrey Dudden tied the contest at 24. The set concluded with back to back scores by the Rams and Crawford winning the opener 26 to 24.
Play again was tight in set 2. Alliance got another kill by Hulquist to keep in striking distance. Midway thru in the second set, the Rams ran off 6 straight to take a 9 to 3 before another kill by Hulquist stopped the spree. Shrewsbury scored another point for St. Agnes as the Alliance deficit stood at 9 to 5. Down 12 to 6, the Lady Crusaders got nice plays by Shelmadine and Intermill to get within 2 at 12 to 10. Kills later in the set by Robertson and Shelmadine made the board read 14 to 13 in favor of Crawford. A 7 to 2 spree by the Rams helped Crawford maintain their margin. Another Robertson’s ace spike would stop the run but the Rams ended the game, scoring the contest’s final 3 points. Final of set 2 Crawford 25 St. Agnes 17
Craw 26 25
SA 24 17
Final stats Jelinek 1 kill Hulquist 3 points 5 kills Robertson 2 points 2 kills
Dudden 3 points Shelmadine 1 point 3 kills Shrewsbury 2 points Intermill 4 points 1 kill
Alliance’s next game was against Cody later in the day.