The Cranston East girls volleyball team played host to the Chieftains from Ponaganset High School on Tuesday night. Despite a valiant effort, the Thunderbolts fell for the ninth consecutive game, losing the match 3-0.
Towards the end of the first game, it looked like it could go either way. East was matching Ponaganset's intensity and trailed 17-13. However, the Chieftains dominated the rest of the game, using a 8-1 run to secure a 25-14 victory.
Early in the second game, the Bolts looked strong, building a 5-4 lead. Their momentum was short lived, as an 11-0 scoring streak gave the Chieftains a 15-5 lead. East could have packed it in and lost their intensity, trailing by double digits and already behind 1-0 in the match.
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However, they battled back and a 8-1 run cut their deficit to 23-20. After inching closer to 24-22, they ultimately lost the second game 25-22, and it crushed any momentum they had gained during the run.
The third game followed the script of the first two. Once again, East was competitive and the game was close, but a run would push the Chieftains to a big lead. After Ponaganset trailed 3-2, they went on a 13-1 run, giving them a 15-4 lead. It was smooth sailing from there on in, as they won the third game 25-11.
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Ponaganset had one big run in each of the three games. 32-2 was the cumulative score of these runs, giving the Chieftains the spark they needed for the road victory.
Chieftains junior Taylor Stevens had 31 assists and four blocks, as she made a big return in her first game back, following an injury. "We were able to use the middle more and we were effective there, because of her return," Ponaganset head coach, Sue Stevens, said.
They were led by senior Melissa Previte, who had 6 kills and 4 aces. "She is one of my strongest outside hitters and is a strong all around player," Stevens added.
Thunderbolts senior Jincy Phann had an all-around strong performance, notching 7 assists, 7 digs, and two aces. Fellow senior Jackie Xiong had 7 digs and two aces.
