For the Liberty Hawks girls volleyball team, it’s not third time’s a charm when it comes to the Washington Union-Easton Panthers.
In fact, after Wednesday’s sweep, the Hawks have beaten the Panthers four times this season.
“We got off to a slow start in the third set,” head coach Grant Clark said. “They wanted to finish it in three. I’m more proud that we’ve beaten that team four times, which is hard to do. It’s a team that we’re similar to in skill level. Beating them four times is a big accomplishment.”
Mariah Medina led the Hawks with 11 kills. Ryleigh Conae and Karsyn Bauer added five kills each.
“Mariah is a presence,” Clark said. “We try to give it to here, even when we’re out of system, we’ll throw it up to the middle. She has soft hands so she’ll tip it, put it the corners or put it in good spots. She’s come along a lot this year.”
The Hawks also dominated at the service line. Despite 10 missed serves, the Hawks recorded 15 aces, including seven from Conae and four from Allyx Faretta.
“Our serve saved us in the first two sets,” Clark said. “We rallied off serves at the end. Allyx and Ryleigh’s serves were on tonight.”
Conae served up a pair of points in the first set to give the Hawks an 8-7 lead. Medina served up another point to lead 10-8. However, Washington Union scored five straight points to take the lead.
After side out kills from Jianna Montemayor and Skylar Hartley, Faretta served the Hawks to the lead.
She had two aces and Medina put down a kill for a 16-15 lead.
The Panthers didn’t go away and tied the set at 17 and 18. After a Panthers’ side out, Medina served out the set. Bauer started the run with a solo block. Conae put down a kill and Medina served up two aces. A Bauer kill gave the Hawks set point and Montemayor finished the set with a bump kill for a 25-18 win.
In the second set, Faretta gave the Hawks the early lead with two aces and a block and kill from Medina to lead 7-4.
The Panthers served up two aces for an 8-7 lead before a missed serve and a Hartley ace gave the Hawks a 9-8 lead. The Panthers got the side out, but another missed serve gave the Hawks the lead.
Conae served up three aces in a row for a 13-9 lead.
The teams exchanged side outs on seven of the next eight points. Faretta got a kill on serve receive and her bump found an open spot on the Panther’s side. Bauer added a tip kill for side out.
Two Panthers’ kills tied the set at 16, but a Conae kill gave Liberty the serve.
Medina put down a kill for a two-point lead. After a Panthers’ missed serve, Hartley served up a point. Washington Union scored two more points to tie the set at 20.
Medina put down a kill for the side out. Conae served up an ace and Boatwright put down two straight kills for set point. Conae aced the Panthers for a 25-20 win.
Montemayor served up the first two points for the Hawks, the first coming on a Bauer kill after a Conae diving dig in the third set.
The Panthers scored the next six points to take the lead. Liberty battled back to regain the lead. Two Medina kills cut the lead to two.
Conae served up two aces in a five point run for a 14-11 lead. Medina got a kill in the run after a Faretta diving dig assist.
After a Panthers’ missed serve, Montemayor served up two aces for an 18-15 lead. Bauer got a side out kill and Medina added another kill for a 21-15 lead.
The Panthers got the side out, but Conae gave it back to the Hawks with a cross court kill.
Faretta served up an ace and Medina put down a kill for match point. After a Panthers’ kill for the side out, Conae finished the match with another cross court kill for a 25-18 win.