Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – It took Warren a few points to settle in, but once the Dragons got comfortable, they continued their impressive start to the season with a 3-0 win over visiting Grove City on Monday.
The Eagles (3-2 overall, 0-1 Region 5) used a 6-0 run early in the first to take a 9-6 lead, but the Dragons (7-0, 1-0) answered with a 6-1 run later in the set to take control of the match on their way to a 25-18, 25-16, and 25-17 victory.
“They came out aggressively and we came out passively,” Warren coach Mike Dolan said. “But, you know, even though it was like 10-10, or something like that, you know, they just stayed on the gas. They stayed calm.”
Grove City had control early in the first set, but Warren battled back to tie the set at 12-12. From there, the Dragons used a 6-1 run to pull away for the 25-18 win.
Warren’s Lindsay Madigan spoke about the win after the match:
Carly Beers served the Dragons to a 7-0 lead to start the first, with the final three of those seven via ace. Grove City cut the Warren lead to three, 14-11, but the Dragons answered with a 4-0 run on their way to a 25-16 set win.
Warren jumped out to an 8-4 lead to start the third. The Eagles inched closer, but the Dragons again pulled away to take a 14-8 lead. Warren methodically pulled away to close out the set, and the match, with a 25-17 win.
The Dragons’ balanced offensive attack was on full display again. This time, Maddy Jones led the way with 10 kills and two aces. Kylie Fehlman and Alexia Bowers each had eight kills, with Bowers serving up a pair of aces. Beers finished with seven kills, five digs, and eight aces.
“We definitely have hitters all the way across,” Dolan said. “So that is making a huge difference. We started controlling the ball within the last few weeks. We’re getting all our hitters an opportunity to come through.”
Madigan ran the offense with 28 assists and had eight digs. Summer Lucks had 16 digs, four assists, and two aces.
Abby Berry ran the Grove City offense with 12 assists. Makalya Northcott had six digs, while Brooke Hovis and Kylie Mahaffey each had five digs.
Warren won the junior varsity match 25-18, 20-25, and 15-8.
Maddie Nosel had 7 kills, 4 digs, and 1 ace. Lilly Newton had 2 kills and 1 block, Lily Walker had 5 kills and 5 aces, and Sophie Walker had 5 digs and 2 aces.
Lauren Shattuck had 4 digs, Delaney Wright had 10 assists, and Lauren Fajbik had 3 kills and 2 digs.
Warren travels to Hickory on Thursday for another Region 5 contest.
