LCC DEFEATS BATH IN THREE SETS

LIMA – It’s always a positive thing for a team to get out to a fast start. In Tuesday’s non-league volleyball matchup against visiting Bath, Lima Central Catholic not only got off to a fast start, but it closed the door in each set to defeat Bath in straight sets – 25-21, 25-15, 25-18. Bath did not claim its first lead of the night until the second set – and that lead was very short-lived. Once LCC regained the lead, Bath never led the rest of the way. LCC improved to 4-2, while Bath slipped to 3-7. Senior Carolina Kill led the Thunderbirds with 10 kills and two blocks. Senior Neena McGue had nine kills and two aces. Junior Lily Whittaker served up four aces. Alyssa Donley, a sophomore, recorded 15 digs for LCC. LCC coach Natalie Snider said she reminded her players to keep the energy level up and remain focused whenever Bath made a run. “I told them that the energy (level) has to stay up, and we have to keep our teammates up. And when we make mistakes, we have to brush it off and worry about the next point that is in front of us,” she said. The T-Birds controlled the first set and led by as many as 11 points. Bath battled back and eventually cut the deficit to three at 21-18. However, LCC responded and closed it out for the four-point victory. In the second set, Bath bounced back from a 3-0 deficit and eventually led by as many as two points. However, LCC made another run and regained control of the second set. In the third and final set, LCC jumped out to a 6-0 advantage and never looked back. Kill and McGue combined for seven kills in that set. “We have four great seniors, but we’re still a young team,” Snider said. “So, we will have big shoes to fill next year. We’ve been working a lot on our offense, blocking, and hitting. We really put in the work during the offseason, and it’s showing. “Our seniors are the leaders out there, but we have some sophomores and juniors that have really stepped up this year. We just keep putting in the work.” Senior Emily Gomez led Bath with seven kills and three blocks, while teammate Ella Mauk recorded 24 digs. With six matches under their belts, Snider is feeling optimistic about her team’s chances of having a winning season. Last year, LCC went 2-18. “We only lost one senior from last year. So, we really worked last year to build a team, and it has shown this year. … We’re a lot better this year. We’re happy, the energy is up, and we are working hard,” she said. Lima Central Catholic 3, Bath 0 Kills – LCC: Carolina Kill 10; Bath: Emily Gomez 7 Blocks – LCC: Carolina Kill 2; Bath: Emily Gomez 2 Aces – LCC: Lily Whittaker 4; Bath: Hunter Neff 1, Sophie Jackson 1 Digs – LCC: Alyssa Donley 15; Bath: Ella Mauk 24 Records: LCC 4-2; Bath 3-7

LCC DEFEATS BATH IN THREE SETS

Photo Credit: Chris Howell | The Lima News