By RYAN WALKER
PONETO—Southern Wells started the match with a first-set win, but ended with a 3-1 defeat to Canterbury Tuesday night at the Raiderdome.
The Cavaliers (1-17) were one of the Raiders (0-12) better chances for their first win of the season, especially after a well-played 25-14 first set. As the match progressed, the team faltered exponentially before falling 25-19, 25-23, and 25-9 in the final three games.
Head coach Whitney Powell was disappointed in her team’s lack of leadership and consistency. But on a positive note, she was pleased with her attackers and putting it all together in the first set.
“We had more fire. We had more communication and energy,” Powell said after the game. “It just seemed like the match went on, and we lost the second game … and it’s just like as the match continues, then we just compete less and compete less. That’s a culture issue, and it’s got to change.”
Powell used two timeouts to try and stop the bleeding in the second set, but her team was never able to overcome the deficit.
After going up 3-0, Southern Wells lost seven straight points to begin the third, leading to a back-and-forth game.
The Raiders just scored to make it 24-23 Canterbury in the finishing stages of the third. After Canterbury hit the ball on the other side, it landed right near the out-of-bounds line. The line judge initially called it out, which would have tied the game at 24, but the head official overturned the call to give the Cavaliers the win.
Had the point not been reversed, the match would have given Southern Wells a chance for a comeback, considering a game must be determined by two points or more.
Powell agreed with the line judge that the ball was out but also wasn’t giving any excuses for the loss.
“(The official) said that was in,” Powell said. “(The line judge) called it out, but I saw it too. I could see court past the lines. I mean, it was clearly out, but like (assistant coach Allison Blevins) said, that call didn’t lose that game. The first 10 points that we let them get on a run 10-0 is what lost that set. So, yes, I’m mad about it, but in the end, it’s our errors and getting within that hole that ended up losing it. I can’t blame it on one point.”
By that time, Southern Wells had already achieved its best night on the attacking side with 27 kills, which Powell shared was the most they’ve had all season.
“I thought our offense was much better tonight — it could have to do with some of the defense on the other side, but that was the most kills we’ve had in a match this year,” Powell said. “We saw some good things out of that.”
But the inconsistencies settled in after the judgment call was made to end the third set. The Raiders made a slew of errors that caused a blowout in the fourth set by 16 points.
Kila Shelley led the team with nine kills and four aces.
Southern Wells will be at Whitko for a 6 p.m. start on Thursday, Sept. 21.
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