LA GRANGE — The La Grange High School volleyball team defeated Smithville High School in three sets Oct. 15 at Leopards Gym in La Grange by a final score of 25-21, 27-25, 25-23.
The Lady Leopards battled through each set while trading points with Smithville, but were able to come up with big points in important spots.
“I think we focused and did what we should've done the first round,” said La Grange head volleyball coach Leslie Coltrain. “Just took advantage of opportunities that we had and just score, which I thought we did, I thought we were scrappy as all get out tonight. We did some things to keep the ball off the floor. You could tell they wanted it.”
La Grange freshman middle hitter Brion Williams had six kills for the night and made some clutch points when it mattered most.
“My passers and then my setter being able to give me the set to hit,” Williams said on her performance.
The Lady Leoaprds scored seven consecutive points in the first set to take a 12-4 lead, which forced Smithville to call a timeout. Smithville battled back and made it 19-18 after an ace, then a couple tip balls and some kills, one by junior outside hitter Carley Ulrich, won La Grange the set 25-21.
After another big lead for La Grange at 7-2 in the second set,
the Lady Tigers bounced back again and eventually took an 11-- 10 lead on a ball out of bounds from the Lady Leopards.
La Grange gained a comfortable lead back at 19-14 on a kill, which was followed by the two teams trading points as a ball out of bounds from La Grange tied it at 24.
A ball out of bounds from Smithville, a tip ball from the Lady Leopards, and another ball out of bounds from Smithville won La Grange the set 27-25.
The third set went back and forth and La Grange’s biggest lead was at 20-16 after four points in a row with two of them being aces.
La Grange and Smithville went down to the wire in the final part of the set, then a kill and ace from Williams won La Grange the set and match 25-23.
