CLARION, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Big players tend to come up big in big games and on Tuesday evening Jenna Dunn came up huge when she needed to, putting away 19 kills while also picking up 17 digs to help the Clarion-Limestone volleyball team rally from a set down to take a 24-26, 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 victory over Cranberry in the KSAC Volleyball Tournament semifinals at Tippin Gym.
(Jenna Dunn was named the Explore and Hager Paving Incorporated KSAC Semifinal Player of the Game)
Dunn also served for seven points with a pair of aces. Alyssa Wiant and Kaylee Smith also had strong games for the Lions. Smith handed out 42 assists while picking up 13 digs, 11 service points with four aces. Wiant put away 11 kills.
Hannah Beggs added eight kills with five service points and an ace. Maddy Greeley also put away eight kills with 15 digs and 11 service points with two aces. Abby Knapp-Greeley picked up 16 digs with seven service points and an ace.
“I thought Jenna got off to a bit of a slow start, but she came on strong as the match went on,” said C-L head coach Ryan Troupe. “I haven’t seen the stat sheet, but I also thought Alyssa (Wiant) played very well tonight at the net.”
C-L actually led throughout much of the first set by holding a 21-16 lead before the Berries would battle back to eventually claim the opening set 26-24.
“I think we had a bit of control in that first set and they just came back on us,” said Troupe. “I told our girls that they are super strong mentally and they didn’t seem phased in our huddle and they just came out and responded.”
Clarion-Limestone Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
C-L once again controlled the second set by holding a 21-11 lead with Wiant gaining a kill and Maddy Greeley serving for an ace.
Cranberry would close to within seven at 24-17 before a hitting error gave the Lions the victory of 25-17 to tie the match.
C-L would once again lead 15-10 in the third set before Cranberry fought back to within one at 15-14. C-L would respond to up the lead to four at 21-17 before a 4-2 edge including the decisive kill by Beggs would give the Lions the 25-19 victory to take a two sets to one lead.
Cranberry would not go away quietly as the fourth set would be tightly contested throughout.
Neither team would hold more than a two-point edge until the final three points of the set.
With C-L ahead 22-21, Dunn would come up with a kill for a 23-21 lead. After another C-L point, Wiant would finish off the set and the match with a kill for a 25-21 victory sending the Lions to the championship game against rival Clarion Area on Wednesday evening.
“Every match we want to spread our opponents out with their blocking,” said Troupe. When you have a block like Cranberry has in (Ayanna) Ferringer you want to keep her moving and keep her guessing. So, when we can go end to end and mix in the middles it’s to our advantage. We also knew when Ferringer was in the back row we’d have some favorable matchups that we needed to exploit.”
Ferringer finished with 16 kills, and five blocks for Cranberry in the loss.
Clarion-Limestone Area High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.
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