Volleyball Team Back on Track
The Panther varsity volleyball team returned to winning ways in time for the start of the district season.
After going 8-0 in the early season of non-district games, the varsity Panthers dropped away matches to Millbrook and Page County on Sept. 18 and 20. These were return matches with teams the Panthers had defeated previously.
However on Tuesday, Sept. 25, with district competition getting underway at Madison, the team was back on track and won three games to none. Then on Thursday they returned to play at home and defeated George Mason three games to none. The record is now 10-2 and 2-0 in Bull Run District competition.
Dani Kritter goes up for a kill.
After running up a 6-0 lead in the first game at Madison with Elvira Yanez serving, Rapp faltered and Madison’s Mountaineers came back to trail just 7-5. Rappahannock settled down then and won the first game 25-13. For the most part the second game was closer and Madison managed to tie the game at 1-1, 4-4, 5-5, 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9 before Rappahannock took control. This game ended with a 25-15 Rappahannock win. Rapp split the difference and won the third game 25-14.
“We played well tonight,” Coach Scott Wilde said. “Elena (Kritter) and Kim (Hutcheson) struggled last week, but they’re back tonight. Elvira had a big night serving, and Noel (Johns) was strong on defense.”
At Madison the JV lost two games to none, but the second game was quite exciting for Panther fans. Down 10-1 and 23-17 Rapp scrambled back and tied the game at 23-23. It was tied 24-24, 25-25, 26-26 and 27-27 before Madison got the final two points to win 29-27.
On Thursday before a home crowd the Panthers seemed to take control early with a 10-3 lead. Mason’s Mustangs kept coming back and trailed only 22-18 before Rapp put the game away 25-18.
Mason led for much of the second game. Down 9-4, Rapp closed to 11-13, but then Mason opened up a lead again. Finally Rapp tied the score at 17-17 and then went on to score the rest of the points to win the second game 25-17. Rapp never trailed in the third game, but it was a mess, interrupted several times to clear water off the center of the court. It was dripping through from an open ceiling vent. All the bench got some playing time, and the Panthers won 25-12.
Dani Kritter had five aces for the night. Elena Kritter had 12 kills, Kim Hutcheson had nine kills, and Nikki Bowers had three kills.
“There were a lot of distractions,” Coach Scott Wilde said. “We didn’t play our best, but we won. There were errors and confusion.”
The JV won decisively two games to none 25-14 and 25-12. Meanwhile Rappahannock’s Junior Panther girls’ volleyball team is undefeated at 5-0 and leads the middle school Valley District competition.
The varsity and JV will travel to Manassas Park on Tuesday, Oct. 2, before returning home to host Clarke County on Thursday, Oct. 4.
-- Sharon Kilpatrick
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