Pisgah rallies past SM

The Lady Mustangs (10-7) not only lost after being up two games to none, but they squandered leads of 13-6 in the third game and 11-7 in the fifth game.

"We just let down," Coach Cindi Simmons said. "We lost our focus, and Pisgah started playing better."

SM led throughout the first game and was up 14-4 after three points from Stasha Nicholson and Brittany Hilton's kill. Ryan Cook nailed it down on the third game point.

Hilton's four points and Elizabeth Trine's block put the Lady Mustangs in front 9-8 in game two. They led 13-8 after three points from Ryan Cook. Jessica Cook served the final point.

The match looked as if it would end early as SM took a 3-0 advantage on three points from Jessie Woodard and Hilton's kill. Natalie Cantler's three points, including an ace, made it 8-1. The margin was 13-5 on two points from Cantler and a kill by Danielle Bowers. The Lady Mustangs collapsed down the stretch and failed to score again.

The Sugar Bears controlled game four all the way after taking leads of 7-4 and 12-6.

Pisgah opened a 7-2 lead in the fifth game, but Ryan Cook reeled off eight points, which along with kills by Trine and Nicholson, put SM ahead 10-7. The lead was 11-7, but the Lady Mustangs again folded late with the Sugar Bears scoring the last eight points.

Hilton was tops in kills with 13. She was followed by Trine with 12 and Ryan Cook with 10. Jessica Cook and Katie Crisp handed out 14 and 12 assists, respectively.

Ryan Cook led in service points with 14 and was perfect in 20 serves. Hilton had 10 points while serving 94.1 percent, and Jessica Cook also had 10 points on 90.9 percent serving. Nicholson finished at 94.4 percent. Not missing a serve were Cantler (seven), Sunny Davies (six), Woodard (five), Julie Cagle (two) and Bowers (one).

The Lady Mustang JVs are 11-6 after a 9-15, 15-11, 15-13 win. Bridget Brannigan served six points in the second game.

"We stopped talking in the first game then it carried over into the second game," Coach Amanda Queen said. "When we started communicating, we started playing better."

She said Bonnie Adams served well and noted that Leslie Mathis stepped up with some crucial serves at the end of the match. She singled out Kristine Webb, who had five kill and six blocks, for her net play.

Laura Bowers recorded five assists.

Back to Sports: 10/10/02.