The Eastside volleyball team dropped a pair of regional contests Tuesday night, falling in straight sets to Walnut Grove and Madison County at home 2-0, 2-0.
The Lady Eagles dropped a 25-9, 25-8 decision to Walnut Grove in their first match of the day before suffering a 25-23, 25-23 defeat to Madison County.
Eastside head coach Michael Gerald said that the two regional rivals were a task for his team to handle, but he was proud that his players did not quit under pressure.
“We’re very young and have a lot of inexperienced players,” Gerald said. “Despite that, their talent is growing and the girls did not quit. We have to regroup and get ready for the next one.”
Warriors roll
The Eagles were out powered in their first contest of the night against the Warriors, as Walnut grove allowed just 17 combined points to Eastside in two sets.
The Warriors opened to a 12-3 lead behind five consecutive aces during their early run, quadrupling up the Eagles before the home squad even had a chance to get their offense started.
Eastside cut the margin to 12-5 after the Warriors recorded a serving error and a hitting error in back-to-back points, but Walnut Grove soon recovered, adding to their impressive lead. The Warriors jumped out to an 18-6 advantage, but a Dejahnae Saintilus kill ended the Warriors 6-1 run.
Walnut Grove allowed the Eagles just two more points to close the first set, ending the game with a kill for a 25-9 win.
The second set mirrored much of the first as the Warriors jumped out to a big early lead, taking a commanding 8-1 advantage. The Warriors again used the service line to their advantage during the run, recording four aces during their opening run.
The run ended on a Warriors’ hitting error and the Eagles cut the Warriors’ lead to nine points at 13-4 on a Walnut Grove hitting error. The Warriors extended their lead to 20-5 with a 7-1 run, but an ace by Kolyse Wagstaff cut the Warriors’ lead to 14 points.
Back-to-back Eagles’ hitting errors and a pair of aces from Walnut Grove closed the door on an Eagles’ comeback bid, as the Warriors outlasted the Eagles 25-8 for the straight set win.
Raiders win
Eastside’s second game of the night saw the team come much closer to a regional win, but Madison County outlasted the Eagles 25-23, 25-23 in straight sets.
The Eagles and Raiders traded points to open the first set, as Kendall Denney recorded a pair of kills and a block at the net to keep with Eagles within a point of Madison County at 7-6.
The Raiders opened their largest lead of the game at 10-7, but the Eagles rallied back to take a 19-18 advantage. Aces Wagstaff and Saintilus and a kill from Denney helped Eastside to the lead, but Madison battled back to tie the Eagles at 19-19.
Madison County outscored Eastside 6-4 to close the set, using a Eagles hitting error and a kill to end the close game.
In the second set, the teams again traded points to start the contest. Breanna Thornton Amanda Bolen led the Eagles’ offensive attack with a kill and a tip over, but the Eagles were unable to thwart the Raiders’ attack.
Madison County extended its lead to 15-11 after back-to-back Raiders’ aces, but a pair of aces from Wagstaff allowed the Eagles to tie the contest at 17-17.
Four consecutive hitting errors from the Raiders handed the Eagles a commanding 22-18 advantage, bit Eastside was unable to hold onto the 4-pount lead. Madison County outscored Eastside 7-3 to close the set, ending the set with an ace at the service line.
Eastside returns to action Thursday on the road against Stockbridge at 5 p.m.
