Earlier last week Dallas McCracken didn’t like what she saw at Nanih Waiya.
The Lady Wolverines had already lost the first two sets, and her starters weren’t getting the job done. So the coach pulled the first team out and put junior varsity players in the match. EWHS lost the match 3-0, but there was some good taken from it that helped the Lady Wolverines last Thursday night.
At a hostile environment against an established CCHS team, EWHS came back after losing two tough sets and won the match 3-2 in exciting fashion. Those opportunities for the JV players paid off, and it also lit a fire under the starters to perform on Thursday in Ackerman.
“It gave us a little spark changing it up,” McCracken said. “Some kids are stepping it up. That was the first time that Molly Addison Price has played in a varsity game. I feel confident any time that I put one of those junior varsity players in.”
It was a testament to the will of the Lady Wolverines on Thursday as EWHS could have very easily given way to a straight-sets loss for the second-straight match. The Lady Wolverines responded from losing the first two sets by taking the final three and handily winning the fifth and final set.
In the opening frame, EWHS had a sure win wiped out by an incredible fight back from the Lady Chargers. With just one point to go for the win in set one, EWHS surrendered seven-straight points as Makenzie Sanders put the stamp on a wild comeback with a kill that won the set 26-24.
After the Lady Chargers took another competitive set 25-19, the Lady Wolverines’ backs were against the wall in set three. EWHS came out fighting and took a 6-0 lead. That lead grew as Isabel Baxter killed back-to-back hits to make it 21-12, and the Lady Wolverines held off a rally with a 25-20 win.
Set four was the set of the night for both teams. After CCHS got out to a 18-13 lead, it appeared the Lady Chargers were on their way to the win. But Carmen Johnson and Karley Daniels helped EWHS on a comeback as the Lady Wolverines got the 19-18 lead with seven-straight points.
The Lady Chargers went back in front 21-19, but the Lady Wolverines battled back and a kill from Jalyn Brock gave them the 26-24 win. The fifth set was all about the Lady Wolverines. When the team took a 5-4 lead, the momentum poured their way for a 15-7 win to cap it.
“(CCHS’) approach was different. They were pushing the ball, so we were able to set and hit. When you give us free balls, we can get some hits,” McCracken said of the comeback. “We did well to respond. I hate that it takes us three sets to get it, but it makes you proud that they have a fight. It was a great win.”
EWHS is now 14-5 on the year with a 3-1 mark in district play and are still in the thick of the title. The Lady Wolverines played at Eupora on Tuesday and will host CCHS on Thursday night. The program is still very young playing just its third year of volleyball, but McCracken has already surpassed last year’s win total of 12. The team has more wins in its sights in the coming weeks.
