VW downs Blue Jays in volleyball opener

Van Wert independent sports

The Van Wert Lady Cougar volleyball team hosted Delphos St. John’s to open the season Monday, taking five games to defeat the visiting Lady Blue Jays, 3-2.

Things did not start smoothly for the Cougars, with the girls struggling to get into their “jellin’ groove”, as they put it in preseason scrimmages. Delphos jumped out to a lead and never looked back in the first game, winning 25-14.

The Lady Cougars jumped out with a lead to begin the second game, but Delphos came storming back. However, Ashlee Dowdy’s ace serve, Danielle Hitchcock’s blocking and Molly Gamble’s hitting led the Cougars to the second game win of 25-21.

The third game was evenly matched with an early 4-4 tie, but the Lady Cougars began to pull away and increase their lead when freshman Alexis Dowdy put down two hard hits to bring Van Wert to 20. Van Wert won win third game 25-15.

The fourth game started close, much like the fourth, with a 6-6 tie early on. The key player for Van Wert in the fourth game was junior Maggie Allmandinger. Allmandinger’s hitting power came on strong in this game, but the Lady Jays prevailed, 25-17, to send the match into a game-five tiebreaker.

In the fifth game, Delphos jumped out to a 6-1 lead but the Cougars didn’t give up, fighting back after a timeout called to get the team focused again. Van Wert worked at getting one point at a time back, with the final score 15-12, Cougars on top.

Coach Vicki Smith was appreciative of the turnout of Cougar fans, including the student section, which was loud all night.

“They were awesome, they were loud, they were keeping the intensity up,” Smith said of the student’s support.

She added that the Cougars are having another “theme” night on Thursday, September 1, at Van Wert’s home game against Lima Shawnee. Members of fall sports teams that wear their team jerseys to the game get their name in a drawing for one of two gift cards for Collins Fine Foods.

Hitchcock led Van Wert with 15 kills, followed by Allmandinger (13) and Molly Gamble (9). Allmandinger led the Lady Cougars with 34 digs, while Molly Gamble recorded 30. Claire Gamble added three service aces for Van Wert.

The Lady Cougars run their early-season record to 1-0 and return to action today, as they travel to take on Kalida.