JV and Senior Pandas volleyball teams take on Halton Hawks

JV Pandas vs Halton Hawks

Chris Davis, Crowsnest Voice

Crowsnest Pass' JV and Senior Pandas were in Pincher Creek at Matthew Halton School to take on the Hawks for an evening of JV  and Senior Girls volleyball on Wednesday October 22.

The Hawks (still) don't have enough JV members to form an eligible JV team and therefore automatically forfeited the JV match, but the two teams played 3 full sets anyway.  The Hawks were the top scorers in all three sets, to be expected since they were playing against a mostly younger team.  The Hawks gave away a fair number of points in the first set, often due to duff serves, but by midpoint they were clearly dominating.  The second set was the closest, and also the most exciting to watch.  The JV Dragons managed to tie the score multiple times, and even pulled ahead at one point, until the Hawks got into their groove.  The Hawks won that set 25-18, but the JV Pandas made them earn every inch of it.  In the last set the JV Pandas understandably ran out of steam, and the Hawks won it easily.

Megan McGlynn was dragooned onto the Hawks squad for the seniors match after a reported two year absence from the game.  While obviously a bit rusty at some points, she proved almost immediately to be a vital asset to the team. The Senior Pandas were ferocious in the first set, a fresh team playing against Hawks who had for the most part already played three sets without respite.  

The Pandas got ahead by 10 points, give or take, and stayed there for most of the set, which they won 25-14.  The Hawks revved back up in the second set, which was tied multiple times and had some of the best volleys of the evening. The Hawks ultimately won the set 25-22.   They continued that momentum in the third set.  

The tipping point in that set came when Raelyn Rutledge delivered a great series of serves for the Hawks, racking up the points until a time out interrupted her streak.  By that point the hawks were well ahead, and maintained the lead to win the set 25-18.  The Hawks maintained a slight lead for almost all of the fourth set.  The Pandas clicked as a team near the end of the set, setting each other up for success and winning it 25-23, forcing the best-of-five match to the full five games.  

The fifth and final set of the match was very entertaining, with both teams firing on all cylinders.  The Pandas earned a slight lead, which they maintained to the end to win the set 15-12 and the match 3 sets to two. 

Senior Pandas vs Halton Hawks