By TIM TAYLORNorthern Tier West Sports Report
SAYRE — Wellsboro traveled to Sayre Thursday evening and swept the Redskins, 3-0, in NTL volleyball action. The Green Hornets won by scores of 25-15, 25-21 and 25-16.
Sayre coach Colby Sangrey knew the Hornets would be a tough customer, but was also aware that playing quality competition is a plus.
“It's always nice playing a team that's high level,” he said. “They're going to give us a lot of stuff, really push us to make ourselves better. We did some great things out there, like the way that we were passing against some of the strongest hits we've seen all year, and just gives us some ideas on things to work on.”
Wellsboro coach Darci Pollock was happy to get the victory.
“I thought they did okay,”she said.”We've been a little flat this week, so coming out a little bit stronger next week and working a little bit harder than we have in the past few days.”
Kendall Sweet set the tone for the visitors with a pair of aces to start the first set. Wellsboro would build a 7-2 lead before Sayre cut it to 7-5. Sweet finished with nine kills and 16 service points with three aces for the Lady Hornets.
“She's come a long way,” said Pollock. “She's really been working hard and really been an offensive, dominant player for us this season.”
The Hornets would work their advantage back to five, 11-6, but Sayre wouldn’t go away, trimming the gap to 12-10.
A side out by Peyton Keane followed by an ace from Madison Cruttenden sparked a 4-point run and an ace from Sweet gave the visitors a 20-11 cushion.
Trailing, 21-11, the Redskins attempted to chip away at the lead, but Wellsboro was finding holes and an ace by Keane ended the set.
Sayre scored five of the first six points in the second set and grabbed an 8-2 lead, but the Hornets rallied with key hits from Keane and Sweet helped them rally to tie the score at 10 and 11 before the Redskins surged back in front, 14-11 and then 15-12.
The battle continued with the score being tied at 15, 16 and 17, but a pair of Sayre miscues allowed Wellsboro to surge ahead, 19-17. Sayre closed within 19-18 on a Hornet mistake, but Wellsboro turned back the Redskins down the stretch.
Sweet served the first five points of the third set, but an ace by Yhale Doon helped Sayre narrow the gap to 5-3, but a handful of errors and a couple of key hits by Sweet allowed the Hornets to double up the score at 14-7.
Wellsboro increased its lead to 18-10, but Azalea McClenny rejected a shot at the net for a side out, but never got closer than 18-11.
Down 22-11, the Redskins attempted to rally, cutting the Wellsboro advantage to 22-16, but could get no closer.
Cruttenden finished with 17 digs in the win while Keane had 11 digs, nine kills and six points, Ellie Largey had 19 assists and Jillian Mickey had seven digs, eight service points and 11 assists.
With the win, the Hornets improved to 7-2 overall.
PHOTOS: TIM TAYLOR
