Medina spikers edge Kendall in 5 sets

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 16 October 2019 at 8:50 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Elle Gross digs for a service return as Ayzha Pitts supports during the Mustangs win over visiting Kendall this evening.

In a sea-saw five set battle, Medina outlasted visiting Kendall 25-22, 17-25, 25-23, 11-25, 25-13 this evening in a non league volleyball match.

In the decisive fifth set, Medina jumped out to an 8-2 lead as Devin Griffin had 2 spiking kills.

The Mustangs advantage increased to 17-6 as Griffin served up points 10-13 and Evie Schultz 15-17 with both runs including an ace.

Elle Gross made it 22-9 by serving up points 20-22 and Griffin closed out the set and the match by registering kills for points 24 and 25.

Gross finished the match with a total of 13 kills and Griffin 12.

Brittney Marks digs out a spike return for Kendall.

Brittney Marks had 11 aces and Karlee Robb 4 kills on the evening for Kendall. (Click here to see Marks score a point for Kendall with her jump serve.)

Medina also got off to a quick start taking the opening set 25-22 as Griffin had 4 kills and Gross and Pitts 2 each.

Kendall though answered right back with a 25-17 win in the second set as Robb served up points 10-13 (1 ace), Marks 15-18 (2 aces) and Olivia Caldwell 20-25 (2 aces). A kill by Autumn Woodward polished off the set winning 25th point.

The sea-saw battle continued as Medina regained a 2-1 lead in the match by taking the third set 25-23 as Gross had key kills for points 19 and 21 and Pitts a kill for the set winning point.

Marks had served Kendall out to a 7-0 lead at the outset, a run which included 2 aces.

Kendall again answered the challenge by taking the fourth set 25-11 to retie the match at 2-2.

Leading by a narrow 11-9 margin, Kendall opened up a little breathing room as Robb served up points 12-15 (1 ace).

Marks then helped to close out the set by serving up points 17-24, a lengthy run which included 2 aces along with a pair of kills by Lauren Pilon.

That set the stage for the decisive fifth set which saw Medina use short runs of service points by Pitts, Griffin, Schultz and Gross to claim the marathon victory. (Click here to see match point for Medina in the 5th set.)