Lady Cardinals Sweep Gravette

MARK HUMPHREY  ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington senior Zoe Nix elevates for big hit against Gravette during the Lady Cardinals' 3-set sweep of the Lady Lions (25-16, 25-19, 25-19) on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Cardinal Arena.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington senior Zoe Nix elevates for big hit against Gravette during the Lady Cardinals' 3-set sweep of the Lady Lions (25-16, 25-19, 25-19) on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Cardinal Arena.

FARMINGTON -- Gravette worked its offense, setting up several successful attacks, but lost to Farmington, 25-16, 25-19, 25-19, at Cardinal Arena in 4A-1 volleyball action on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.

"It was just an off-night for us. We weren't in focus. We were having trouble finding our rhythm, but we know we can play. We just have to regroup," said Gravette coach Britney Davis.

Farmington senior Addison Kaiser caught fire, pounding out kill after kill in the third set to finish off the Lady Lions, 25-19.

The Lady Cardinals jumped out to a 20-12 lead in the first set. Gravette hung around with sophomore outside hitter Ella Pinches smashing a kill to make it 20-14. Farmington varied its attack. Senior Micah Foster recorded a kill from the back row, one of many highlights featuring her skills.

"Micah Foster, our back row defensive specialist, played her tail off tonight. I don't know how many digs she had tonight, but they were spot on. It's good to see as a coach when kids want to fight, get out there and perform well," Pair said.

Zoe Nix served an ace and Piper Robinson added a kill for the Lady Cardinals, sandwiched around Belen Nelson's kill for Gravette. The Lady Lions hit long, bringing Farmington to game-point. A service error prolonged that but not for long with the first set ending on a Lady Lion hit into the net and Farmington won 25-16.

Farmington broke away from an early 4-4 tie by fashioning a 7-1 run. Robinson served back-to-back aces off the net and the Lady Lions surrendered points on a hitting error, miscommunication leading to no second hit, and a missed hit during Farmington's run.

At one point, the Lady Lions made a run of their own. They scored four straight points on kills by Keeley Elsea, Pinches and Piper Batie, but could get no closer than 22-19.

A service error and violation set up Farmington to game-point leading 24-19. The Lady Cardinals went to 6-feet-1 sophomore Kaycee McCumber and she delivered the winning kill.

"We had a good game plan. The girls received that plan and they executed it well," Pair said.

Gravette held leads of 7-4 and 12-6 on the strength of an 8-2 run in the third set.

Farmington countered with a 6-0 run, transforming a 14-10 deficit into a 16-14 lead. Davis took time-out. Kaiser was in the groove. Three of the Lady Cardinal points during the run came from her kills.

The Lady Lions tried to rally coming out of the time-out and managed to tie the game at 18-all.

Unfazed, Farmington sealed the sweep with a 7-1 run to polish off the match. A Nix kill ignited the run. Naomi Polanski contributed a pair of aces. Nix chipped in another kill and Samantha Brye's block-kill postured the Lady Cardinals at match point with a 24-19 lead. Nix's ace ended the competition with Farmington winning the match three sets to none.

  photo  MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington 6-feet-1 sophomore Kaycee McCumber unwinds for a big hit against Gravette. The Lady Cardinals defeated the visitors (25-16, 25-19, 25-19) on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Cardinal Arena.
 
 
  photo  MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington senior Addison Kaiser caught fire, dominating the third set with multiple kills to finish off the Gravette (25-16, 25-19, 25-19) in 4A-1 Conference volleyball action on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.