Sports
Ace Nation: Athens sweeps Meigs on senior night
By: Katie Bailey
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THE PLAINS, Ohio (WOUB)- The Athens Bulldogs swept the Meigs Marauders in an exciting matchup. Athens started off the night by honoring their seniors: Kate Legar, Maeve Schwarzel, Caitlyn Hayes, Alexa Reed, and Rylee Toadvine.
Athens came out strong in the first set with an ace from Alexa Reed. Meigs kept it close until Rylee Toadvine had back-to-back kills putting the Bulldogs up 10 to 4. The seniors had a lot of energy coming into the game, and middle Caitlyn Hayes kept up the energy with a massive block. Later in the first, Toadvine had back-to-back aces, Athens up 18 to 5. Sofia Smith and Hayes kept working on their setter-hitter connection with an impressive slide kill, adding to the Bulldogs lead, putting them ahead 20 to 5. Athens took the set with a big kill from Ava Meili, 25 to 7.
Going into the second set, Athens kept their energy up with a right-side kill from Maeve Schwarzel. After some back-and-forth play, Hayes put it down with another slide kill. Hayes had seven kills for the night and three blocks. But Chloe Burnem from Meigs rallied back with an impressive ace to try and keep the game close. In the middle of the second, the Marauders took their only timeout for the match trying to slow down Athens. It wasn’t successful because Toadvine put it down again with another kill, extending the Bulldogs lead to 20 to 13. On set point, Liza Hartman put it down with an impressive kill. Athens won the set 25 to 16.
Now, in the third, Reed came out on an 8-point serving run with four aces in there. Meigs, Taylor Werry helped bring some energy to the Marauders with a powerful kill, Athens leading 10 to 2. But Bella Roush from Meigs kept it close with back-to-back aces, Bulldogs up 11 to 5. Athens carried their strong lead throughout the middle of the set from another Hartman kill; she had four kills for the night. An ace from Grace Inboden kept the streak alive, Athens up 20 to 10. Along with her ace, Inboden had an impressive backrow kill during the match. Toadvine ended the match with her 15th kill on the night. The Bulldogs won the match 25 to 12, sweeping Meigs three to nil.
Athens head coach Hailee Hart gives credit to her team’s energy for this big win stating, “Every single one of them love each other,”.
Meigs is traveling to Southern to play the Cyclones on Monday night. The Bulldogs hope to take this win as good motivation into their next matchup on Tuesday against Nelsonville-York.