JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
Cowden-Herrick 7th grade volleyball took their turn at a Pana tournament on Saturday and came away with a 2-1 record. The Hornets lost to Pana 13-25, 20-25, then beat Stew-Stras, 25-12, 25-10, and Nokomis, 25-8, 25-16.
The Hornet 8th grade had an earlier tournament at Pana and came away empty. The Hornet 7th started like it was the invasion of the body snatchers and the well-oiled Hornet machine had been replaced by impostors.
“I told my team this is the only game that I have been disappointed with them so far,” said Hornet coach Angela Jefferies. “It wasn’t because they lost, but they did not play well at all. We had too many missed serves, uncalled balls, and a variety of errors that they have not been doing all season. I would really have liked to have seen these two teams play each other at their best.”
Despite the loss, Ashley Davis and Jensyn Morrison led C-H at the line with 5 points each. Morrison served two aces and Davis one. Ariel Heiserman served four points and a team-high two assists. Haven Lorton was the net threat with four kills.
Pana Tourney
Pana def. Cowden-Herrick, 25-13, 25-20
C-H stats: Ariel Heiserman 4 points, 1 ace, 2 assists; Jensyn Morrison 5 points, 2 aces, 1 kill, 1 dig; Ashley Davis 5 points, 1 ace, 1 kill; Haven Lorton 1 point, 4 kills, 1 dig; Dakota Fouts 3 points, 1 ace, 1 kill; Alicia Adams 1 assist, 1 kill; Chloe Meek 1 kill.
After the sub-par performance in the first match, the Hornets snapped out of it and took it it out on Stew-Stras, out-scoring the Stars 50-22 in straight games.
“I’m not sure what happened in their first game, but the team that played together here is the team we have been seeing this season.” Coach Jefferies said.
Ariel Heiserman came up huge, scoring 14 points with three aces. She also led with two assists. Dakota Fouts followed with seven points and a team-high four aces. As a team, the Hornets served up 13 aces in the too-quick, 2-game set.
Ashley Davis and Haven Lorton joined together evenly for six of the nine Hornet kills in the match. Lorton added a block.
Cowden-Herrick def. Stew-Stras, 25-10, 25-12
C-H stats: Heiserman 14 points, 3 aces, 2 assists; Fouts 7 points, 4 aces, 1 kill; Morrison 5 points, 2 aces, 1 kill; Meek 5 points, 1 ace, 1 kill; Lorton 3 points, 2 aces, 3 kills, 1 block; Davis 1 point, 1 ace, 3 kills; Kasey Mueller 1 point; Alicia Adams 1 assist.
On a roll and firing on all cylinders, the Hornets also dismantled Nokomis, outscoring them 50-24 in straight games.
“The girls finished strong and with their team back together,” Coach Jefferies said.
In this match, Dakota Fouts rose up as the ace at the line. Fouts served up 15 points (1 ace). Heiserman followed with eight points (2 treys). Morrison and Davis led at the net with two kills each.
Cowden-Herrick def. Nokomis, 25-8, 25-16
C-H stats: Fouts 15 points, 1 ace, 1 kill; Heiserman 8 points, 2 aces, 2 assists; Lorton 4 points, 4 aces, 1 dig; Davis 4 points, 3 aces, 2 kills; Bethany Hadley 2 points; Kasey Mueller 1 point; Adams 1 kill.
Stew-Stras almost took Pana to three games during the tourney and did take Holy Family to three games, showing signs of improvement for the 2-8 Stars.
“I was pleased overall with how the girls played,” said Star coach Kim Pinson. “They have really started showing improvements in their communication, skills, and team effort.”
Stew-Stras lost to Cowden-herrick 12-15, 10-15; lost to Pana 24-26, 13-25; lost to Holy Family, 27-26, 16-25, 9-15.
Stew-Stras 3-match stats: Kaitlin Slifer 7 points, 4 kills, 2 assists, 12 digs; Ciara Jewell 4 aces, 4 kills, 1 assist, 13 digs; Skylar Vonderheide 3 aces, 5 kills, 7 digs; Casey Wheat 2 aces, 1 kill, 2 assist, 6 digs; Lakiesha Reeves 4 kills, 1 assist 3 digs; Kristina Beitz 4 pointsm, 1 assist, 1 dig; Aryanna Marston 3 assists, 5 digs.
Cowden-Herrick 7th (9-2, 6-0 NTC) plays at Ramsey on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. and then at Mulberry Grove on Thursday at 6:15 p.m. Stew-Stras was to play at Brownstown on Monday.
