For The Tribune

CROTHERSVILLE

It took five sets to settle the volleyball match between Jackson County rivals Crothersville and Medora on Thursday night, and when the final point went up on the scoreboard, the Tigers claimed a 25-14, 25-15, 23-25, 21-25, 17-15 win.

The fifth set was tied at 3-3 before Maddie Riley had three kills to spark the Tigers to a 9-4 lead.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

Crothersville was leading 11-4 before the Hornets rallied and used an ace by Marsadeez Phillips to pull into an 11-all tie.

The set was tied at 15 before the Hornets had a serving error and a net violation to hand the Tigers the set and the match.

Tigers coach Kourtney Settle said it was a good confidence builder to see her team win the fifth set.

“We hadn’t been in a position like that this year — in a really intense game — and it was good to see how they can play in a fifth set,” Settle said. “That showed me a lot, too. Medora played really hard. I always tell them ‘They’re not going to lay down and let you win. They’re going to fight for it too. They want it just as bad as you do.’ ”

The Tigers held a 9-6 lead in the third set following a block by Tayler Brewer, and the Tigers held a 19-11 lead later in the set before the Hornets rallied to force a 21-21 tie on a Tigers passing error.

Crothersville regained a 23-21 lead before the Hornets scored the final four points, including set point on an ace by Alli Carney.

The Hornets jumped on top 9-3 in the fourth set before the Tigers pulled even at 14. The teams were tied at 21 before the visitors scored the final four points, with Kailen Flynn’s kill being the final point.

“My girls have nothing to be ashamed of,” Hornets coach Sara Todd said. “They played well, and any time you can lose like that it’s a hard one.

“We just learned this offense two days ago. We switched our libero to a setter and pulled in another setter. They learned that offense two days ago, and to come that close to beating your country rival … I think our season is going to look up from here on out.

“I think the reason we were so competitive was the transition from the match. You could see a lot of different transitions. We are still a little bit weak in the passing, but Lillie (Hatfield) passed a heck of a game.”

Flynn served a pair of aces to help Medora to a 5-0 lead in the first set before the Tigers rallied behind a pair of aces by Makayla Helt and two kills from Riley to move on top 8-6.

The Tigers finished strong with six straight points and scored set point on a Medora attacking error.

Crothersville held a 9-7 lead in the second set before increasing its lead to 14-7 on an ace by Kaitlyn Silvers, and the closest the Hornets cold get was 19-15 on a kill by Hatfield.

“The first two games I think they came out and they played hard, and they played their game,” Settle said.

“They played more of a slower-paced game the first two sets, but then I think they just got a little too confident after they kind of beat them pretty easily in the first two sets and I think it went to their head and then they just didn’t play as hard and made silly mistakes that they normally don’t make and I think that was a big difference.

“Then they came back and played hard the fifth game. “

Riley topped the Tigers (2-7) in attacks with 47-53-19, Brewer had five kills and Helt served three aces.

Flynn was 41-46-11 in attacks for the Hornets (1-6) and Katie Beesley was 24-31-11, and Flynn served five aces.