New Madrid County  Central rolls over Scott City in two sets

Wednesday, October 7, 2015
New Madrid County Central's Alyssa Caines (13) sends a kill attempt over the net as Scott City's Kati Blattel (22) tries to defend Tuesday at New Madrid County Central High School. (Brent Shipman/Standard Democrat)

NEW MADRID -- Celebrating senior night Tuesday, New Madrid County Central put together a pair of strong sets to beat visiting Scott City 25-14, 25-16.

"Our hitters definitely played very well tonight," Lady Eagles' head coach Whitney Gorton said. "The sets were there and we were smart. A lot of short sets tonight to really throw the defense a little bit. All season long it seems like we've been high set and tonight we've been working on that low set so much in practice.

"They threw it in tonight and it worked, because they weren't ready for it."

Neither set proved much trouble for NMCC and after claiming the first point of the night they would never trail in the first game. A kill from Gabrielle Gilmore made it 2-1 and gave the Lady Eagles a permanent lead and started a 6-1 run.

At 15-9 the Lady Rams used their first timeout, but NMCC went on to take five of the next seven points to force Scott City to burn another at 20-10.

A 7-1 run by the Lady Eagles was followed by three straight points to keep the Lady Rams in the set, 22-13.

Two straight points set up game-point for NMCC and an Alyssa Caines' kill soon after sealed the 25-14 win to put the Lady Eagles in control of the match.

"We were extremely focused," Gorton said. "They played the best they could, gave it everything they had, worked hard and we got the 'W'."

A 4-3 run to open the second game gave the Lady Rams their only lead of the night, however, after holding a 5-5 tie Scott City would trail the rest of the way.

New Madrid County Central's Gabrielle Gilmore volleys the ball over the net Tuesday against Scott City at New Madrid County Central High School. (Brent Shipman/Standard Democrat)

Shelbie Karafa put down a kill they was followed by a Monica David ace that put NMCC in the lead for good, 7-5. Three and four-point rallies soon followed to give the Lady Eagles a 14-8 lead.

Scott City took the next three points to keep things close, 14-11, only to see NMCC go on 8-2 run to essentially ice the match.

A pair of kills from Karafa set up match-point, at 24-16, and the Lady Eagles sent their seniors out with a sweep of the Lady Rams by capturing the next point.

"I think they performed a lot better the second set," Scott City head coach Christy Riley said of her team. "I just feel like we need to talk (on the court) a lot more. But they've improved over the season so that's a major plus."

With the regular season home schedule now at a close, NMCC will travel to Sikeston to play the Lady Bulldogs Thursday at 6 p.m.

All Lady Eagle seniors were honored before the game, including Caines, Gilmore, Davis, Chelsea Sylvester, Erica Townsend.

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