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HomeMiddle SchoolBlowing Rock upends feisty Mabel, 2-0

Blowing Rock upends feisty Mabel, 2-0

By David Rogers. ZIONVILLE, N.C. — Blowing Rock’s middle school volleyball team squandered a big lead in the first set and dug a big hole for themselves in the second, but in both cases belatedly rediscovered their “mojo” to sweep  Mabel, 2-0 (25-15, 30-28). Both teams are competing in the Watauga County Schools’ school-specific volleyball league.

BONUS PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE (click on any image for slideshow mode)

Similar to what Blowing Rock did at Bethel last week, the Rockets opened up a 9-1 lead in the first set before the Mustangs clawed back into the fray to close the gap. Blowing Rock got settled, then rallied behind service runs by Jolie Baudoin and Emory Kerns that seemed to catch Mabel off guard. The Rockets won going away, 25-15, to put the earlier collapse behind them.

Paisley Ellison digs for Mabel against Blowing
Rock. Photographic image by David Rogers

Mabel did not go away quietly, however, as the Mustangs jumped out to an 11-4 lead and seemed to be exacting a measure of revenge on Blowing Rock. Paisley Ellison was effective with digs to keep the ball in play, while Kailey Greer and Cydney Matheson were adept at getting the ball back across the net, often making life more challenging for the Rockets by hitting to the back row.

But handle the Mustangs, the Rockets did. With several Blowing Rock parents urging their progeny to go on a run, the girls responded with just that, eventually tying the match at 13-13 and from there the two adversaries, one from the northern-most end of the county (Mabel) and the other from the southern-most border (Blowing Rock), battled point for point, with long rallies as both teams seemed to get more skilled as the set went on. Finally, the Rockets put together a side out to gain a 29-28 edge before Mabel mishandled the next serve, giving the visitors a hard-earned, 30-28 overtime victory.

In other Watauga Middle School volleyball action:

  • Cove Creek def. Green Valley, 2-1 (25-21, 26-28, 15-19)
  • Parkway def. Cove Creek, 2-0 (25-12, 25-11)
  • Parkway def. Green Valley, 2-0 (25-8, 25-8)
  • Hardin Park def. Bethel, 2-0 (25-4, 25-18)
  • Valle Crucis def. Bethel, 2-1 (9-25, 25-15, 15-11)
  • Hardin Park def. Valle Crucis, 2-0 (25-14, 25-18)
STANDINGS (after Sept. 26 games)
  1. Parkway 10-0
  2. Hardin Park 10-1
  3. Cove Creek 8-3
  4. Blowing Rock 4-6
  5. Valle Crucis 3-7
  6. Green Valley 3-8
  7. Mabel 2-8
  8. Bethel 2-9
BONUS PHOTOS of Blowing Rock @ Mabel
Would this be called ‘double hits’? Photographic image by David Rogers
Av
Blowing Rock’s Ava Langley is doing her Michael Jordan impersonation, volleyball style, as she focuses on a serve vs. Mabel on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Maddie Plemons, Blowing Rock libero, shows good form with this dig an putting the ball in play on Sept. 26 at Mabel School. Photographic image by David Rogers
Mabel’s Paisley Ellison keeps the ball in play against Blowing Rock on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Addie Stough serves for Blowing Rock against Mabel middle school volleyball on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Emory Kerns is a study in concentration as she puts up a serve for Blowing Rock at Mabel School on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
It’s hard to tell if Paisley Ellison is happy or scared but she gets the ball back across the net for Mabel with Blowing Rock in town on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Blowing Rock’s Jolie Baudoin had a couple of service runs to help the Rockets win at Mabel School on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Mabel School’s Kailey Greer keeps the ball in play on Sept. 26 vs. Blowing Rock. Photographic image by David Rogers
Kailey Greer serves for Mabel against Blowing Rock on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Set anyone? Addison Moody will get an assist for this set for Mabel’s front line against Blowing Rock on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Mabel has a defensive specialist in the making with Paisley Ellison scrambling for a dig vs. Blowing Rock on Sept. 26 at the Mabel School gym. Photographic image by David Rogers
Ava Langley powers a serve acrpss the net on Sept. 26, helping Blowing Rock to a 2-0 sweep of the Mabel Mustangs. Photographic image by David Rogers
Are we seeing things? Does Blowing Rock libero Maddie Plemons have four legs in going for this dig at Mabel School on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Blowing Rock 6th grader Emory Kerns shows a lot of confidence and athleticism in getting this volleyball back across the net at Mabel School on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Blowing Rock setter Emory Kerns does her thing vs. Mabel on Sept. 26. Photographic image by David Rogers
Blowing Rock middle blocker Addie Stough forces this kill shot to go high on Sept. 26 vs. Mabel School. Photographic image by David Rogers

 

 

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