Woodford County High School’s volleyball team won the first two sets before Henry Clay rallied to hand the Lady Jackets a five-set loss Oct. 7. For five sets, the game was played at a high-intensity level, feeling like a regional final instead of a midweek regular season battle.
Woodford won the opening sets 25-18 and 25-23, but Henry Clay took the next three 29-27, 25-20 and 15-11 to complete the comeback.
Despite the loss, Woodford coach Meghan Bottom pointed to her team’s aggressive hitting.
“We stayed aggressive on our swinging,” Bottom said. “We just need a little more.”
Caroline Gribble, Scarlett Dabney and Kenley Greer scored at the net as Woodford opened the first set with an 8-3 lead. Henry Clay errors helped the Yellow Jackets extend their advantage to 14-6 before the Lady Blue Devils answered with a 7-0 run.
Aces from Addie Bryant and Lucy Culbertson helped Woodford stay ahead, and additional Henry Clay errors pushed the lead to 19-14. Lorelai Johns and Culbertson added kills before Dabney delivered the closing point for a 25-18 win.
The teams were tied at 5-5 in the second set before Culbertson scored twice at the net. Henry Clay miss-hits followed, helping Woodford take an 11-7 lead.
The Lady Blue Devils rallied to move ahead 16-14, but Woodford pulled even at 17-17 following a side out and a Henry Clay error. Three consecutive points put Henry Clay back in front.
Dabney ended the run with a kill off a pass from Gribble. A Henry Clay hit into the net cut the deficit to one, and Dabney followed with an ace to tie the set.
With the score tied at 22-22, Johns put Woodford ahead with a kill. Henry Clay answered, but another Johns’ kill gave the Yellow Jackets set point. Culbertson finished it with an ace for a 25-23 win and a two-set lead.
Johns said her connection with Gribble has grown throughout the season and helped her contribute against Henry Clay. “I feel like tonight was really a night that showed it,” she said.
Henry Clay built a 15-10 advantage in the third set after the teams were tied at 8-8 and 10-10. Two Culbertson kills and a Henry Clay hit into the net helped Woodford close the gap to 15-13.
The Yellow Jackets pulled within one before Henry Clay scored three straight points. Culbertson answered with two more kills, and a Dabney ace brought Woodford within 18-17.
Greer added a block during Woodford’s effort to keep pace, but Henry Clay eventually moved ahead 23-19. Johns stopped the run with a kill.
Facing four set points at 24-20, Woodford rallied behind three Dabney kills as Bryant’s serves kept the Yellow Jackets on the attack. Gribble followed with a kill to tie the set at 24-24.
Dabney and Culbertson each scored to erase subsequent Henry Clay leads. Greer then put Woodford ahead 27-26 with a kill, but the Lady Blue Devils scored the final three points to win 29-27.
Henry Clay opened the fourth set with a 3-0 lead before Woodford rallied to tie it at 6-6. The teams were even again at 17-17.
After Henry Clay took a 19-17 lead, a Greer kill and a Lexi Zuber ace brought Woodford level. The Lady Blue Devils scored the next two points before Culbertson earned a side out with a kill.
Henry Clay answered at the net, blocked a kill attempt by Lydia Sumner and went on to win 25-20, forcing a fifth set.
Sumner said staying focused through a back-and-forth match means looking toward the next point rather than dwelling on mistakes.
“We focus in on winning the set and finishing the game,” Sumner said. “It may get harder, we might lose focus, but we try and push through it at the end of the day.”
Woodford trailed 6-3 in the deciding set before a Culbertson kill and a Henry Clay hit into the net cut the deficit. The Lady Blue Devils extended their lead to 9-6, but Johns scored at the net and Culbertson placed a kill in the back corner to bring Woodford within 9-8.
Henry Clay stretched its lead to 14-10 before a Natalie Gladdis block kept the Yellow Jackets alive. A Woodford serve into the net ended the set and match.
With the district tournament approaching, Bottom said the five-set match gave her players experience working through difficult stretches.
“It’s the stamina thing,” Bottom said. “So they’re learning to play through when things don’t go our way and just keeping on pushing against the other team.”
Johns said the match also helped prepare Woodford for district competition, including another potential meeting with Collins, which beat the Yellow Jackets during the regular season.
“I definitely think that it helps prepare us mentally,” Johns said. “We’ve definitely got some competition coming up in the next couple weeks.”