MCDERMITT — The McDermitt High School volleyball team was looking to close out Homecoming week on a high note, taking on rival Owyhee in a doubleheader on Saturday morning.
The Braves, who reached the 1A state tournament a year ago, played the spoiler, winning both matches. Owyhee claimed the opener 25-12 and 25-18 and the second match 25-8 and 25-8. McDermitt dropped to 0-5 in league play.
The Lady Bulldogs started out on a high note, as Precious Masters made her season debut and contributed right away with a kill to open the match. Sienna Astor Followed with an ace to give McDermitt a 2-0 advantage. Owyhee battled back to go in front by two points at 7-5, but that was quickly erased by kills by Megan Sam and Astor.
Owyhee called a timeout at that point, and after the break came out on a 9-1 run and opened up an eight-point lead. McDermitt got no closer than seven points in the rest of the set.
The Lady Bulldogs controlled the action in the beginning stages of the second set and led 10-6 after an ace by Dacey Horn and a block by Masters. The Braves battled back to tie the set at 14, but gave the lead back to McDermitt on a missed serve.
With the set tied at 15, Owyhee ran off six straight points, when Morissa Bitt ended the spurt with a kill. Horn added another kill to close the gap to 22-18, only to see Owyhee score the next three points to win the match.
McDermitt grabbed the momentum in the first set of the second match with the first two points. However, Owyhee went on a 9-0 run and scored 16 of the next 17 points. The Braves missed two serves in that stretch to give McDermitt its points. Owyhee kept McDermitt in single digits to win the set.
A kill by Bitt in the second set brought the Lady Bulldogs within 2-1, but the Braves used a 21-2 run to pull away and dominated the set.
McDermitt will look to collect its first Eastern 1A victory of the season on Friday at Jackpot at 3:30 p.m. (MDT). The Jaguars won in five sets in McDermitt earlier in the season.
