The Chuckey-Doak volleyball team got its week started with a 3-0 sweep of North Greene on Monday afternoon, 25-15, 25-11,25-17.
In the mind of Chuckey-Doak coach Marissa Snapp it all started at the service line where the Lady Black Knights made it hard for North Greene to get in an offensive rhythm which then set up their own offense for success.
“Our serving made the difference tonight. I am so proud of the way we served the ball,” Snapp said. “We kept it in and we made it difficult on their defense. When our serves make it difficult on their defense, it makes things easier on our offense. That allows us to get into the stuff we want to do and go on the attack.”
Monday night started with Chuckey-Doak jumping in front 7-1 in the first set, and three aces by Jacey Taylor led that effort.
Four errors in the attack let North Greene come back and close the gap to 8-6, but then Jayden Myers scored on sneaky tip that started a run that put Chuckey-Doak up 12-7.
Taylor powered home a kill from the left side that sent Addy Pruitt to the service line, and she sent the ball over seven straight times on the way to a 21-11 lead. In the run Taylor landed two more kills and Pruitt scored on an ace.
In the closing stretch Isabelle Karricker slammed the ball three times from the middle as Chuckey-Doak collected a 25-15 win.
The second set began with the Lady Knights claiming a 5-1 advantage after Karriker stuffed a Lady Huskies’ swing.
Chloe Kirkpatrick dropped in a pair of aces as the lead grew to 13-3. Myers scored on a kill and tip in the stretch.
North Greene’s Josie Graham ended the run with a powerful swing from the left side and Tralyn Southerland added a kill as Chuckey-Doak’s lead shrank to 13-8.
Chuckey-Doak went in front at 20-10 behind two kills from Taylor, and after she put down two more kills the Lady Black Knights earned a 25-11 win.
The third set was much different as the two teams traded points for much of the way. Chuckey-Doak led by three points on three occasions, first when Madison Shelton came up with a block that made it 10-7.
North Greene cut the lead down to 15-14 when Matti Phillips got a tip to fall, and then Lady Huskies took a 16-15 lead when Kallie Dobson earned a block.
An errant kill attempt evened the score at 16-16 and Chuckey-Doak finished the night on a 9-1 run.
Karriker started the closing run with a kill, a block and a tip on consecutive plays. Taylor put down a pair of kills and Karriker blocked another swing in the 25-17 victory.
“It was all about refocusing and turning it back on. We got a little complacent there, but it was good to see that they could turn it back it on and finish strong,” Snapp said.
Both teams will be back in action on Tuesday in big district contests. Chuckey-Doak will head to Greeneville for a District 1-AA bout, and North Greene head to South Greene looking to climb the District 1-A standings.
