Sports
Ace Nation: Strong defense gives Alexander the sweep over the Marauders
By: Hayley Mitchell
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ALBANY, Ohio (WOUB) — The Alexander Spartans hosted the Meigs Marauders on Tuesday, walking away with a clean sweep against the Meigs Marauders .
The first set was competitive. Meigs was ready for an aggressive game and came prepared to match Alexander’s energy. The Marauders started out with three aces early in the first set but couldn’t shake the Spartans. Alexander took advantage of a quick momentum loss across the court, to make necessary kills. In a last burst of energy, Meigs tied up Alexander at 23 points, but Alexander had the last laugh and took the win 26 to 24.
“It’s time to do our job. When they play big,” said Alexander Coach Jamie Lutz, “they play strong. They play with intensity and consistency”.
The Spartans carried their momentum from the first set into the second, gaining an early lead against Meigs. The front row took center stage in this set. Both the Spartans and Marauders had a strong double block, making for exciting rallies between the teams. Teammates Lexi Grissett and Macie Swart were the powerhouses of the Spartans’ offense. Swart took the final kill of the set to end the match 25 to 14 and secure a second set win for Alexander.
Determined to stay on top in the third set, Alexander’s backrow took an aggressive approach to their serve receive. Covering everything from front row tips to corner kills, there were few balls that got past the Spartan’s defense. Grissett carried an impressive seven kill streak in the second half of the set and served with impressive accuracy. Alexander racked up 10 aces in the game, and Spartan Darian Lallier was notable for her three aces in the third set. Alexander’s passing and serving ultimately secured their win in the final set, and they won 25 to 17.
“I feel as though our serving was very strong tonight,” said Darian. “Our main goal was to serve everything over and in”
Alexander will play Wellston at home on Thursday, and Meigs will host Athens next Tuesday.