RUSSELL —
Russell volleyball’s Senior Night turned into a classic.
With the top seed for the 63rd District Tournament hanging in the balance, the Lady Devils outlasted Greenup County 3-2 in a back-and-forth thriller Wednesday night at Marvin Meredith Gymnasium.
After fending off three Greenup County match points in the fifth game, Russell finally prevailed 25-22, 23-25, 25-15, 13-25, 18-16 as eighth-grader Sara Hieneman scored the winning point.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Madison Cole, a setter and one of several Russell seniors playing in their final regular-season match. “It feels so good. It was definitely extra stress for Senior Night, going to the fifth set and how close it was all the way to the end. People will sleep well tonight.”
Afterwards, coaches Darrell Adkins of Russell and Lyndsey Thacker of the Lady Musketeers felt about as emotionally drained as their players.
“That was huge for a lot of reasons,” Adkins said. “You want to be the No. 1 seed in the district. Also, when you play a match with that much emotion and so many lead changes, you don’t want to lose.”
Adkins paused for a moment.
“I don’t know who the best team in the region is, but I know us and Greenup County have to be in the conversation,” he added.
Thacker, a 2005 Russell grad who played volleyball for Adkins, has quickly built Greenup County into a regional contender in only her second season. Thacker’s team defeated the Lady Devils last month in five games.
“Lyndsey is doing a tremendous job,” Adkins said. “I’m so proud of her. Every year they just keep getting better. I would like to beat them twice more this year (district and regional). I don’t know if we can.”
The last game alone featured nine ties.
Greenup County sophomore Kymbria Williams, a force in the middle as a hitter and blocker, scored consecutive points on a kill and block to give her team two match points at 14-12.
Russell, however, made a scrambling save behind the back line on the way to winning the next point. The Lady Devils pulled even at 14, then also set up a match point of their own on an Arden Gross kill.
Greenup County (18-8) rallied for a 16-15 edge, but Russell won a back-and-forth point and then took the next two to pull out the victory.
“It’s hard to come in on Senior Night and beat a program like Russell,” Thacker said. “I can’t take anything away from our girls. They are young and have worked so incredibly hard this season.”
Williams and Kaitlin Moore, another young middle hitter, provided the Lady Musketeers with considerable production at the net.
For Russell (24-11), seniors Sydney Watkins and Gross provided power up front throughout the contest. Watkins was credited with 20 hits and 13 kills. Cole had 16 service points, while Hieneman finished with 10 blocks.
“It was a great match,” Thacker said. “I hope my girls think as much of me one day as I think of Darrell now. I try to model what we do after him.”
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at
rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606)
326-2671.
Local Sports
Closing Time
Russell outlasts GC in 5 games on Senior Night
- Local Sports
-
-
KYLE HOBSTETTER: The Bengals on 'Hard Knocks' could be a lot of fun
Gone are the antics of Chad Johnson. Or is it still Ocho Cinco?
Injury-stricken quarterback Carson Palmer took his ball and went to California. Then was shoved to Arizona. -
Walsh big winner with Carter, Fletcher
Zac Carter and Trey Fletcher established themselves as one of the premier one-two combinations in Ironton High basketball history.
-
A PERFECT ENDING
With her career coming to an end, everything has come full circle for Boyd County’s Emily Stewart.
Stewart and Ashland’s McKenzie Vanover were honored as the top players on The Independent’s 2013 All-Area Softball Team. -
ALL-AREA BASEBALL: Salow, Prater are back-to-back Jacks
This season’s Player of the Year assumed a starring role in ending the seasons of both coaches who shared top honors on The Independent’s 2013 All-Area Baseball Team.
-
Ditty stands tall in state Hall of Fame
Julie Ditty never felt as small as when standing beside Pervis Ellison, the 6-foot-9 former University of Louisville basketball great.
-
'Blessed' Marsh gets due
The second-largest crowd in Elks Sports Day history came to celebrate Vic Marsh Saturday night.
-
Gullett selected as next honoree
Don Gullett, who is generally regarded as the greatest athlete in northeastern Kentucky history, will be the honoree for the 40th annual Elks Sports Day next summer.
-
Stevens, Taylor in winning mode
For the second straight Saturday, Aaron Stevens found himself as the top finisher at a local 5K race.
-
MARK MAYNARD: Marsh belongs on wall
When Vic Marsh looks up on the Elks Sports Day Wall of Fame, it’s hard for him to picture his photograph being up there with them.
-
Getting more time
Jamal Clark, Austin Allison and C.D. Spight looked liked they'd run the Jumbo play for four years.
The only play the trio tried it was the one that mattered Friday. Spight's 10-yard run — with Clark and Allison blocking — was the last touchdown in the West's overtime 20-14 win in the eighth annual Northeastern Kentucky Senior Bowl at Morehead State University's Jayne Stadium. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
KYLE HOBSTETTER: The Bengals on 'Hard Knocks' could be a lot of fun
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs
Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks
Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
