Lady Tigers lose to No. 1 St. Paul’s
PELHAM – Hartselle’s volleyball team had its season in the Class 5A semifinals after the Lady Tigers fell to top-ranked St. Paul’s 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-21) Wednesday night in the AHSAA Elite Eight at the Pelham Civic Complex.
In the first game, Hartselle got as close as 11-10 before St. Paul’s took control and led 18-11. From there, the Lady Tigers could get no closer than five points.
Hartselle played much better in the second match, rallying from a 10-5 deficit to draw even at 10. St. Paul’s pulled back ahead 15-11 before Hartselle rolled off six straight points to lead 17-15. Katelyn Hill, Olivia Golden and Kaylee Shelton all had kills to key that run.
St. Paul’s regained the lead at 19-18 and won six of the next seven points to take Game 2. The Saints’ Mackensie Mosley had four aces to end the game.
The Lady Tigers’ only lead of the third game came at 1-0. From there St. Paul’s took a commanding 20-12 lead before the Lady Tigers won nine of the next 13 points, pulling within 24-21. But St. Paul’s put the game away with a kill, thus ending the Lady Tigers’ season with a 52-11 record.
Golden led Hartselle with nine kills and 10 digs while Hill seven digs, four kills and two aces. Sarah Ellen Battles had six digs and a pair of aces. Savanne Howard added 23 assists. Shelton came up with eight kills and Elizabeth Russell added four aces.
