By Brackin Lambert
Photo by Josie Fent
Laiani McCullough collected 16 kills and Caroline Malphrus added 12 as the Battery Creek volleyball team defeated visiting Wade Hampton 3-2 for Senior Night in a non-region match Tuesday at the Palace.
Battery Creek used a strong attack to win the first two sets, but the Red Devils fought back to claim the next two frames to set up a showdown in the final set before the Dolphins held on for a 25-20, 28-26, 22-25, 19-25, 15-10 victory.
The Dolphins opened the scoring with a combination of aces and kills. Back-to-back kills from Malphrus put the score at 12-5, forcing the Red Devils to take their first timeout. Creek’s lead was as large as eight before a 5-0 Wade Hampton run forced a timeout from the Dolphins at 16-12. Wade Hampton tied the score at 17, but Battery Creek rattled off two separate 3-0 runs to win the set 25-20.
Both teams exchanged points throughout most of frame No. 2 as neither team could gain control. After consecutive attacking errors and receiving errors, the Red Devils finally took control at the 17-13 mark. Following a short comeback that brought the Dolphins back to within two, Wade Hampton regained a four-point advantage with multiple attacking errors. Battery Creek tied the set at 21 and took its first lead on the next point. Emonee Johnson collected back-to-back aces giving BCHS a two-point lead. Malphrus and Myra Smith picked up consecutive kills to end the set in the Dolphins favor.
Frame No. 3 began much like the second with both teams exchanging points early on. Wade Hampton took control by going on a 6-0 run, forcing a Dolphin timeout. BCHS cut the lead down to two, but an attacking error from Crosby gave the set to the Red Devils.
Wade Hampton took an early lead in stanza No. 4, increasing their lead to as large as six, forcing a timeout at 19-13. The Dolphins rallied to trim the lead down to three but were unable to make the comeback as the Red Devils took the set.
The Dolphins came out of the gates firing in the final frame, jumping out to a 7-3 lead, and Johnson recorded an ace to extend the lead to six. After the Red Devils committed an attacking error, McCullough served up an ace, setting up match point. Wade Hampton was called for a double touch, giving the Dolphins the win.
