The 8th District volleyball race got a little more interesting on Monday when Heritage Christian Academy knocked off University Heights Academy in four sets.
The loss was the first in district play for UHA heading into Tuesday night’s showdown with first-place Christian County. A win by the Lady Colonels clinches the top seed in the district, while a Lady Blazer win on their homecourt would forge a three-way tie along with HCA.
Monday’s match at Warrior Gym had all of the feels of a postseason match. HCA took the first two sets 25-12 and 25-18. UHA took the third set 25-19 and HCA held off the Lady Blazers 25-19 to claim the match.
The contest featured two of the top hitters in the region and neither disappointed on Monday.
HCA’s Mya Goodwin had 15 kills, while UHA’s Olivia Oakley countered with 14.
The difference in the match was HCA’s ability to dig Oakley’s missiles. The Lady Warriors recorded 67 digs in the match with UHA answering with 40. Goodwin had 19 digs with Allie Craft adding 17 for HCA. Oakley had 15 digs for the Lady Blazers and Katherine Wood added 12.
The match was tied three times early in the first set until Goodwin keyed an 8-0 run with five aces. Kills by Katie Cansler and Makenzie McCarty boosted the HCA lead to 11-4. The Lady Blazers would get no closer than five points the rest of the set.
The second set was another close one early with seven ties and five lead changes before work at the net by Bralee Fowler and Grace Conley sparked a 3-0 run that gave the Lady Warriors some separation. Fowler finished the match with five blocks and three kills while Conley added four blocks and four kills.
Down 2-0, UHA battled back in the third set with Niyati Patel coming up big with a pair of kills that helped spark a 6-1 run and turn a 17-all tie into a 23-18 lead. Oakley’s sixth kill of the set saw the Lady Blazers nab the 25-19 win.
The fourth set saw seven ties and six lead changes up to a 10-10 tie. HCA built a 16-11 lead but strong play at the net by Oakley, Megan Long, and Taylor Cantrell got UHA to within 20-17.
Cansler then came up with three straight kills to boost the lead to 23-17. A kill by Goodwin and Cansler ace ended the match and gave the Lady Warriors their first win over the Lady Blazers in four career matches.
Goodwin had seven of HCA’s 14 aces with Hadlee Hayes contributing 18 assists and McCarty adding 16.
Long had four of UHA’s eight aces with Gretchen Durham posting 24 assists.
Heritage Christian Academy (10-4) became the third region team to reach 10 wins. They will play at Foundation Christian Academy on Tuesday.
University Heights Academy (4-8) hosts Christian County on Tuesday with the chance to keep a share of the top seed alive.
8TH DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS
Christian County 3 0
Heritage Christian 3 1
University Heights 2 1
Fort Campbell 1 3
Hopkinsville 0 4
August 20
Heritage Christian Academy 3 Fort Campbell 0
August 22
Christian County 3 Fort Campbell 0
University Heights 3 Hopkinsville 0
August 27
Heritage Christian 3 Hopkinsville 0
August 29
Christian County 3 Heritage Christian Academy 1
Fort Campbell 3 Hopkinsville 0
September 5
Christian County 3 Hopkinsville 0
September 12
University Heights 3 Fort Campbell 1
September 16
Heritage Christian 3 University Heights 1
September 17
Christian County at University Heights Academy
