Heritage Christian Academy rallied from down 2-1 to claim a five-set thriller Monday against Mayfield at Warrior Gym.
Mayfield took the first set 27-25 with HCA winning the second set 25-15. The third set featured eight ties and four lead changes before Mayfield won 25-23.
Heritage won the fourth set 25-18 and won a fifth set thriller 15-13 to take the match.
Heritage Christian, in the final transition year before becoming a full-time KHSAA member school in 2023-24, was 8-5 against KHSAA competition last year. Monday’s win moves them to 4-2 this season.
Heritage Christian was coming off a semifinal loss to Crittenden County in its first trip to the All A Classic region Tournament Saturday.
However, Monday’s win came against one of the First Region’s top All A teams. Mayfield entered Monday with a 5-1 record. Their lone loss came in four sets to Marshall County with one of the five wins coming in straight sets over Ballard Memorial, a squad that advanced to the semifinals of last year’s All A Classic State Tournament.
HCA’s 92-percent service rate played a large role in the win. They had 15 aces.
They needed them to counter the big hitting of Mayfield’s Avery Nanney, who proved tough for HCA to handle at the net.
However, Elle Heltsley and Mya Goodwin had some firepower of their own. Heltsley had 26 kills and Goodwin added 13. HCA was also glad to have Bailey Craft back running the offense with 22 assists after she missed games last week with sickness.
Heritage Christian (10-3) gave coach Grace Stewart her 50th career win in Friday’s KCAA victory at Oak Ridge Christian. The Lady Warriors will travel to Grace Christian in Owensboro Thursday.
HCA STATS
Bailey Craft – 22 assists, 2 aces, 1 kill, 10 digs
Elle Heltsley – 26 kills, 2 aces, 10 digs
Macy Lake – 3 assists, 15 digs
Mya Goodwin – 21 assists, 13 kills, 5 assists, 26 digs
Kailynn Stanley – 1 ace
Cora Hale – 6 kills, 15 digs
Katie Cansler – 5 kills, 2 assists, 2 aces, 13 digs
Hadlee Hayes – 1 assist, 4 digs
