Published: October 27, 2009 10:33 pm      

Palestine volleyball falls to Fairfield, takes third

By SCOTT TYLER

Sports Editor



The Palestine Ladycat volleyball squad got an early taste of what the playoffs are going to be like.

In a playoff atmosphere at the Wildcat Gymnasium Tuesday night, the Ladycats lost to Fairfield in four close games, 29-27, 18-25, 25-23, 25-18.

The loss gave Palestine third in the district while Fairfield finished tied for first with Brownsboro and will have a tiebreaker match on Saturday. For the Ladycats, they will start the playoffs next week but a time and place have not been determined. Palestine plays the second-place team from District 19-3A.

Jazmine Hicks led the way for Palestine Tuesday night with 12 kills and five aces. Katisha Smith added five kills and Teara Stephens had three kills.

Palestine had a chance to take an early lead against Fairfield but squandered three game points in the opening game. The Ladycats took a 23-21 lead on four straight service points by Mickey Roman.

Fairfield came back to score the next four points to get a game point, but a Lady Eagle error tied the game at 24-all. Palestine got its first game point when Fairfield hit the ball into the net, but the Lady Eagles came back to tie the game.

Palestine had another game point on an Ashley Durham kill, but a Ladycat service error again tied the game. The Ladycats had one more game point after a Hicks kill but Fairfield rallied for the final three points getting to game point on an ace and winning on a Palestine error.

Palestine responded by taking an early lead in the second game off the serving of Jalla Johnson, who had five aces on the night. Johnson had four straight service points to give Palestine a 14-6 lead.

Fairfield cut the lead to two points, 17-15, but a kill by Hicks got the ball back and Palestine scored 7 of the next 11 points to win the game.

The critical third game went back and forth with neither team having more than three point lead. Five straight service points by Hicks gave Palestine a 21-17 lead, but Fairfield came back to score the next four points and tie the game at 21-all.

A kill by Smith gave Palestine a 23-22 lead but Fairfield scored the next three points, finishing it off with a kill to take a 2-1 lead.

The third game win looked to give Fairfield the momentum as the Ladycats started the fourth game with five of the first seven points and never trailed.

Palestine would get within two points at 13-11 on a Hicks kill and 17-14 on a Stephens kill, but the Ladycats never got closer as Fairfield closed out the match scoring six of the last seven points.