Meg Arthur sets Paradise up for an upset over Aubrey
By Robert Morgan | Published Sunday, September 7, 2008
If the Paradise High School volleyball team's Tuesday night clash in Aubrey had been a heavyweight boxing match, then it would have had the full 12 rounds. The final round is where coach Susie Burt's team delivered the knockout punch.
With the match tied at two games each, hitter Brianna Lambert and libero Candice McDaniel finished off the hosts. The duo, who were the offensive and defensive statistical leaders for the match, put Aubrey down in a hurry in the fifth and deciding game for a 25-12, 15-25, 25-11, 23-25, 15-6 victory.
Aubrey, which defeated both Bridgeport and Decatur in recent action, had no answer for Paradise down the stretch. Lambert was a big reason why the Chaps had problems as she pounded out a match-high 26 hits.
The junior also slammed a team-best 12 kills against the Aubrey defense to go along with her four aces. Hannah Johnson had no mercy on the hosts either as she slapped around 21 hits and nine kills in the two-hour match.
The momentum in the match changed as often as gas prices. The match had a playoff-like feel to it as both teams exchanged spectacular plays as the outcome was different in each game.
The key was that Paradise took the first game and never trailed in the match.
McDaniel had one of her best performances of the season as she denied the Chaps on a regular basis with a team-high 23 digs and four saves. Baleigh Newman was also a vacuum on the back row where she collected 20 digs and a save to help easily win the opening game.
Aubrey proved why it has won 14 of its 20 games this season in the second game. Jac Bullock, who led all hitters for the night with 14 kills, helped rout PHS in the second game to even the match at 1-1.
The roller-coaster ride of a match continued with the Lady Panthers taking another convincing win after getting rocked. Setter Meg Arthur, who was solid once again, dished out a handful of her season-high 46 assists to give her team a quick lead.
The locals never got off track. Casey Fletcher (14 hits, 6 kills) and Hannah Runnels (9 hits, 1 ace) provided some muscle at the middle of the net to fuel PHS to another lopsided win and to take a two games to one lead in the match.
The Chaps refused to go down. Carrie Crook ripped four of her 11 kills for the match in game four and Bullock was lethal on defense to hold off a furious Paradise rally.
Paradise came up two points shy of winning the match in four games, but did not disappoint in the final round. That's where Hannah Johnson, Gabbie Von Hueval, Brandi Erwin and the Lady Panthers jumped in front early in game five with their patented stingy defense to get the upset.
