Kards challenge, despite Colony sweep

PALMER — Colony recorded the three-game sweep Saturday afternoon. But the Knights had to earn it.

Despite trailing by at least four points during both the second and third games of the match, Colony rebounded to post a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 26-24) Northern Lights Conference win over the Kenai Central Kardinals at Colony High School Saturday afternoon.

“They played well, they served well, they have a good defense,” Colony head coach Amy Carter said of the Knights’ opponent.

Colony senior Sierra Hodgson used a match-high 13 kills and 12 digs to help keep the feisty Kardinals squad from taking a game from the defending conference champion Knights.

“She’s a great player,” Kenai head coach Michelle Borland said of Hodgson.

Hodgson collected seven of her 13 kills in the second game.

Kenai jumped to the early 5-1 advantage in the second, behind the serving of Shelby Toombs. But with the lead of Hodgson, a Colony captain, the Knights put together an 8-1 run to grab the lead.

“It was very nice having Sierra take over,” Carter said. “When the pressure’s on, she wants to do that.”

A key play on defense helped spark the Knights’ run. With Colony trailing 6-2, senior Katie Gonski helped preserve a long volley when she answered a hard hit from Kenai’s Lexi Beeson by using a diving stab to make a one-handed dig. Gonski’s efforts kept the ball in play, and Hodgson took a Siobhan Johansen set and slammed it to the center of the other side of the court.

Midway through the second game, a Beeson kill cut Colony’s lead to 15-13. But with three Hodgson kills during a five-point span, the Knights were able to stretch that advantage back to five points.

In the third game, Kenai, once again, took the 5-1 lead, and held the 15-10 advantage midway through the set.

Mariah Hundorf followed a Beeson kill with a service ace to give Kenai the 13-9 lead in the third game, scored her second ace of the game minutes later to give the Kards the 15-10 advantage.

“When we had good passing, our hitters were able to find the hole (in the defense),” Borland said. “We need to keep that going.”

Colony didn’t take the lead in the third game until late. Junior middle hitter Shellina Irwin bounced an attempt off the top of the net and to the center of the Kenai defense to tie the score at 21, and Colony took its first lead of the game on a Kenai attack error.

Colony was able to push its lead to 23-21, but Kenai’s Samantha Kelley used one of her team-high three aces to tie the score at 23.

Irwin followed with her fifth kill of the game to give the lead back to the Knights, but Beeson tied the game again with a kill of her own.

Hodgson sealed the sweep with back-to-back kills on the final two points of the win for CHS.

Irwin added 11 kills to Hodgson’s team-high of 13. Junior Tess Forstner added eight kills in the match, while Johansen registered a match-high 38 assists.

Beeson led the Kards with six kills. Molly Copple recorded a match-high 13 digs for Kenai.

Palmer 3, Kenai 0

PALMER — The Palmer Moose scored a 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-19) win over Kenai at Palmer High School on Friday.

Jenny Arlow led the Moose with eight digs, four aces and 11 assists in the win. Nicole Cherrier posted eight kills and Danielle Pempek added 10 assists.

Match cancelled

HOUSTON — The Houston Hawks were scheduled to host Soldotna in nonconference action on Saturday, but the match was cancelled, according to Houston head coach Lynn Edwards. The Hawks head south next week to face Kenai Central and Skyview.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.