ARGYLE - There are no style points for winning a volleyball match.
On Senior Night Thursday, Argyle seniors Jackie Dammen and Cassie Welch couldn't help but grade their performance as the Orioles withstood a Game 3 rally from Juda to hang on to a three-game win over the Panthers, 25-19, 25-22, 25-23.
"It wasn't pretty," Dammen said, who had a team-high seven kills and four aces.
Argyle (4-6 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 15-5 lead in the third game after sophomore Micala Peterson delivered seven consecutive service points including one of her three aces in the match.
Juda (5-14, 3-7) stormed back after the lead had ballooned to 21-15 for the Orioles. Juda sophomore CJ Dunwiddie came through with some hot serving and sophomore Ellen Kiser, who had 10 kills and three blocks, was aggressive at the net as the Panthers rallied.
Argyle finally got a big side out on Welch's kill to tie the game at 23. Welch then scored on a tip and Argyle junior Kelsey Bartels powered a kill to put the Panthers away to avoid a fourth game.
"I'm always nervous," Welch said. "It's nice to have so many seniors and underclassmen step up especially when our starters like me had a tough time. We couldn't do it without them."
Argyle coach Shane Johnson liked how resilient the Orioles were in battling adversity and emotional swings.
"The girls came out excited and amped up," Johnson said. "Overall, they got past the roller coaster and emotional flare-ups. Good for them. We just didn't make plays. Juda started to believe they could come back. You have to stop those big runs. That's kind of the nature of the game. In that case, we did just in time."
Juda coach Pam Green understands the Panthers must bounce back and find a way to dig out of a trying time.
"I don't think the score should have been that big of a gap," Green said. "I expect more out of them. I didn't feel good about the games except the potential of our young kids stepping in. Miranda Trotter did a good job of setting.
"We started out the season good. We have gone down hill ever since. They have all kind of stopped working."
In the first game, the Orioles overcame four service errors to win the opener. Dammen had two aces in the first game to help the Orioles take a 15-13 lead. It wasn't until Peterson scored four straight points late in the game to help the Orioles take a commanding 23-17 lead.
Juda junior Aly Pierce's pinpoint serving gave Juda a boost in the second game as the Panthers raced out to a 13-6 lead. The Orioles, who had seven aces as a team in the second game, rallied after Peterson's four straight points and two aces sliced the Panthers' lead to 14-11.
"Micala does a nice job of mixing it up and zone serving some strong and hard, and some short balls to keep the defense off-balance," Johnson said.
The Orioles weren't done at the service line. Argyle senior Stephanie Cuevas had five straight service points and two aces to spark the Orioles to a 17-15 lead. The run included a critical tip by Dammen. Cuevas had a team-high 21 assists and Peterson had 11 digs. Pierce and Megan Trotter had six assists each for the Panthers.
"We have to be able to close out games and control the ball better," Green said. "It's been one of our downfalls."
On Senior Night Thursday, Argyle seniors Jackie Dammen and Cassie Welch couldn't help but grade their performance as the Orioles withstood a Game 3 rally from Juda to hang on to a three-game win over the Panthers, 25-19, 25-22, 25-23.
"It wasn't pretty," Dammen said, who had a team-high seven kills and four aces.
Argyle (4-6 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 15-5 lead in the third game after sophomore Micala Peterson delivered seven consecutive service points including one of her three aces in the match.
Juda (5-14, 3-7) stormed back after the lead had ballooned to 21-15 for the Orioles. Juda sophomore CJ Dunwiddie came through with some hot serving and sophomore Ellen Kiser, who had 10 kills and three blocks, was aggressive at the net as the Panthers rallied.
Argyle finally got a big side out on Welch's kill to tie the game at 23. Welch then scored on a tip and Argyle junior Kelsey Bartels powered a kill to put the Panthers away to avoid a fourth game.
"I'm always nervous," Welch said. "It's nice to have so many seniors and underclassmen step up especially when our starters like me had a tough time. We couldn't do it without them."
Argyle coach Shane Johnson liked how resilient the Orioles were in battling adversity and emotional swings.
"The girls came out excited and amped up," Johnson said. "Overall, they got past the roller coaster and emotional flare-ups. Good for them. We just didn't make plays. Juda started to believe they could come back. You have to stop those big runs. That's kind of the nature of the game. In that case, we did just in time."
Juda coach Pam Green understands the Panthers must bounce back and find a way to dig out of a trying time.
"I don't think the score should have been that big of a gap," Green said. "I expect more out of them. I didn't feel good about the games except the potential of our young kids stepping in. Miranda Trotter did a good job of setting.
"We started out the season good. We have gone down hill ever since. They have all kind of stopped working."
In the first game, the Orioles overcame four service errors to win the opener. Dammen had two aces in the first game to help the Orioles take a 15-13 lead. It wasn't until Peterson scored four straight points late in the game to help the Orioles take a commanding 23-17 lead.
Juda junior Aly Pierce's pinpoint serving gave Juda a boost in the second game as the Panthers raced out to a 13-6 lead. The Orioles, who had seven aces as a team in the second game, rallied after Peterson's four straight points and two aces sliced the Panthers' lead to 14-11.
"Micala does a nice job of mixing it up and zone serving some strong and hard, and some short balls to keep the defense off-balance," Johnson said.
The Orioles weren't done at the service line. Argyle senior Stephanie Cuevas had five straight service points and two aces to spark the Orioles to a 17-15 lead. The run included a critical tip by Dammen. Cuevas had a team-high 21 assists and Peterson had 11 digs. Pierce and Megan Trotter had six assists each for the Panthers.
"We have to be able to close out games and control the ball better," Green said. "It's been one of our downfalls."
