DRAFFENVILLE – The defending 1st Region Champion McCracken County Lady Mustangs beat Marshall County in Draffenville Thursday 3-0, but the Lady Marshals didn’t make it easy for them, playing them close every step of the way throughout the three sets.
In set one, the two teams tied seven times up to 17-17, when the Lady Mustangs went up by two only to have their lead cut back to one on a killer hit by Hannah Langhi. Holding onto a three point lead at 21-18, the Lady Mustangs’ Courtney Griffith with the kill gave them a little breathing room they took advantage of, taking the first set 25-22.
The back and forth scoring continued in the second set, until the Lady Marshals pulled out to a slight 8-5 lead, holding on to it, despite three tie ups to 19-19 when McCracken County took the lead and held on to it to take the second set 25-20.
Out to a sluggish start in set three, the Lady Marshals trailed 7-2 but dug in to tie the game 8-8. Again, a series of ties and lead changes between the two teams brought them to the 20-20 point in the game before McCracken County’s Cate Hyde put together two good service points to put them up by two. The Lady Marshals cut it to 22-21 before a kill by Hannah Rhinehart and tip over the front line by Griffith put them at match point, going on to put the set away 25-22.
Langhi led the Lady Marshals in kills with 18, Ragan Harris had 3 and 2 a piece for Alexis Hines and Paige Henson. Henson had 17 assists and digs came from Kirsten Walker with 6 and Henson had 5. The Lady Marshals are 13-8 and will play Graves County next at home on Tuesday.
McCracken County was led by Rhinehart with 12 kills, Griffith had 10 and Hyde 8 and lead Region 1 with a 15-5 record.
