Parkview Baptist entered its match against St. Amant looking to prove it could finish matches after letting early leads slip away in two matches this past weekend.
The Eagles’ opportunity came after they took an early 2-0 set lead. The Eagles built a 22-14 advantage in the third set before the Gators ripped off an 11-2 run to take a 25-24 lead.
Parkview then flipped the switch and exorcised this past weekend’s demons. Junior outside hitter Marin Price recorded three kills down the stretch, including the match-sealing point, to win a see-saw third set, 29-27. The Eagles (7-6) won 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 29-27) on Tuesday night at Parkview Baptist High.
“I know that we have it in us to be able to do that,” Parkview coach Allison Leake said. “I was pleased to see the kids fight back and find a way to put the ball away. The fight was there, which I didn’t see this past weekend.”
Price played a key role with 24 kills and nine digs.
“Everybody knows that we’re going to go to her when she’s on the front row,” Leake said. “She did a really good job tonight of moving the ball around. It made it a little bit harder for St. Amant’s defense.”
Eagles sophomore Olivia Kohn also tallied 14 kills.
Parkview Baptist took a 6-2 lead in the first set before St. Amant rallied to tie it 6-6. The first set included 10 ties and three lead changes. Parkview closed the set on an 8-4 run to seal it 25-21.
St. Amant (14-5) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second set. Parkview rallied with five straight points, including two Price kills to tie the match. The second set featured 10 ties and seven lead changes.
The Gators led 19-18 late before a tipped point and a Kaylee Walker ace put Parkview back in front 20-19. Parkview closed the second set on a 7-1 run, including five straight points to clinch it, 25-20.
The two sides traded the lead again in the third set. Parkview trailed 11-10 before storming back on an 11-4 run to take a 22-14 lead. Price recorded five kills across the run. St. Amant then went on an 11-2 run that included eight Parkview hits that either hit the net or landed out.
Price smacked a kill to tie the match at 25 points apiece. The Gators hit it into the net to put Parkview up by one. An errant serve and a kill by Calli Hargarve restored a one-point St. Amant lead. The comeback ended there after a serve out of bounds, a ball hit into the net and Price’s kill gave Parkview a 29-27 win to seal the sweep.
“I think playing this good team tonight made them realize we know what we have to work on,” St. Amant coach Lucie Hunt said. “I have really good hope for us in the future. The fight’s just starting for them.”
