Published: November 03, 2009 09:53 pm      

Palestine falls to Lorena in playoffs

By SCOTT TYLER

Sports Editor



JEWETT — The Palestine Ladycats had their season come to an end Tuesday night.

Palestine lost to Lorena in three games — 25-17, 25-13, 25-14 — in the Class 3A-Region III bi-district playoff match at Leon High School.

Palestine, making its first playoff appearance in three years, never looked to find any kind of rhythm during the match. The Ladycats only had one lead in any of the three games and that came on the opening point of the first game on a Jazmine Hicks’ kill.

Hicks led the Ladycats with seven kills to go along with three blocks. Katisha Smith and Ashley Durham each had three kills and Jalla Johnson had three aces.

Palestine struggled to put together offensive sets throughout the match as the Ladycats were resigned to just getting the ball over the net with bumps and sets and more often than not, the Lady Leopards feasted on those hits.

Lorena took an early lead in the first game, but Palestine stayed within striking distance with back-to-back aces by Johnson and a pair of kills by Hicks. The Ladycats cut the Lorena lead to one point at 18-17 with consecutive kills by Durham.

But after a Lorena timeout, the Lady Leopards scored the next seven points to capture the first game.

Lorena carried the first-game momentum into the second game, scoring 11 of the first 13 points. Palestine got back within six points on a kill by Smith and another one by Hicks after a tough dig from Mickey Roman.

Again, Lorena used a late run, scoring five straight and 8 of 11 to win the second game and take a commanding 2-0 lead.

A block by Durham and an ace by Roman kept Palestine close to Lorena early in the second game. Two kills by Hicks cut the lead to 11-8, but the Lady Leopards pulled away scoring four straight and three straight at different points at different points of the game to put the match away.

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Scott Tyler may be contacted via e-mail at styler@palestineherald.com