Hobbton’s Lady Wildcats (4-7) defeated the Lakewood Lady Leopards (5-9) 3-1 in their volleyball matchup on Wednesday evening.
Both teams faced off previously on Aug. 25, where the Lakewood girls claimed the win 3-1.
On Wednesday, Hobbton took the first set 25-19, before the Lady Leopards began to work back into the match in the second. At 15-13, Lakewood worked its way further into their lead, thanks to a few miscues on the Lady Wildcats side. Hobbton’s Karsyn Cardon created a set for freshman Analee Oliva Montes, but the finish wasn’t there as it dropped into the net. Both sides traded points, before the Lady Leopards retook the lead when Hobbton’s Lily Bowden hit the ball out of bounds. A net hit from Lady Wildcat Aniya Mouldon increased Lakewood’s lead to 20-17. The Lady Leopards held on 25-19 in the set to tie the game 1-1.
A 4-0 Lakewood lead in the third saw the Lady Wildcats pick up where they left off in terms of missed serve receives. At 5-2, Hobbton’s Zannah Hairr served the ball into her own net. After taking a point back, the Lady Wildcats miscommunicated on back-to-back receives that resulted in the ball dropping onto their end of the court.
But Hobbton fought back into the game, as they took two straight points to cut the Lakewood lead to just three, before a kill from Bowden brought the game back 8-6. Another point went in the Lady Wildcats favor after Lakewood’s Jahmai Rich hit the ball on a attack attempt into her side of the net.
Both sides continued to trade points, as Lakewood fought to keep the slim lead alive, as Hobbton chipped away. The Lady Wildcats took the lead near the midpoint of the game, and didn’t look back, as a kill from Hairr ultimately sealed set three at 25-19.
With their backs against the wall at 2-1, Lakewood was able to secure the first kill, but the Lady Wildcats pulled ahead with an 6-2 lead. This time, it was the Lady Leopards turn to chip away at an early deficit, and they began to do so, first with a kill from Rich to cut the lead to just three. As the fourth set continued further, Hobbton’s early lead was stolen at at 13-12, thanks to consecutive aces from Lakewood’s Ashanti McKoy. Her sister, Areona, followed up the attack with two straight kills to build the lead 15-12 in favor of the Lady Leopards. Areona and Hobbton’s Hairr traded kills on both sides before a miscue from Lady Wildcat senior Madison Troublefield upped the Lakewood lead to 18-15.
It was at this point in the game, that miscues on the Lady Leopards side gave Hobbton the push it needed to get fully back into the set. On an attack attempt, Lakewood’s Savannah Melvin hit the ball into the net to give the Lady Wildcats a point. The next possession, the Lady Leopards hit the ball twice before it went over the net, which officials awarded the point to Hobbton for. After both sides traded points, a serve receive hit out of bounds on Lakewood’s end cut their lead to two at 21-19. That’s all Hobbton needed to flip the switch fully. After they gained a kill, the Lady Wildcats got serve and picked up an ace from Bowden to tie the game at 21. Two more points, which included an ace from Hairr, a mishap from Lakewood’s Ashanti and then the final kill by Hairr, saw the Wildcats gain the scores they needed to win 25-22 and take the final set.
“I think we did OK today,” Hobbton’s Bowden said post-game. “Although we won, we have a lot more potential to give.”
For Bowden, a senior for the Lady Wildcats, having the opportunity to beat Lakewood for potentially the final time was huge.
“It literally means everything,” she described the feeling. “Especially when playing schools in Sampson County, you want to be number one.”
For Lakewood Head Coach Beth Wiggins, she was satisfied about the way her team battled against Hobbton.
“I think we peformed well,” Wiggins expressed. “It was a tough game, we were going point for point. It’s hard for them to get out of their heads sometimes, but that’s all part of the game. All in all, I think it was a great game and we’ve done very well. I’m very proud of my girls.”
For Wiggins, the mentality that the Lady Leopards brought to the court allowed them to keep the game close.
“There was a better attitude tonight,” she said. “I felt like we had a good talk before the game. There was a couple of changes made tonight, but I think they were ready to work together as a team tonight.”
Following the Lakewood win, the Lady Wildcats head back home to face off against Spring Creek on Monday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. As for the Lady Leopards, they’ll be back in action Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. on the road against West Columbus.