WOODWARD — Down, 2-1, Woodward-Granger rallied for an emotion-charged 3-2 win over WCAC for Earlham Tuesday.
Earlham dropped to 12-4 overall and 3-3 in league play with the loss while W-G improved to 4-17, 4-1, a reflection of the Hawks having played over a dozen games against larger schools.
The Cardinals squeaked out a 25-23 win in the first game, with the Hawks resolutely battling to a 30-28 game two win. The momentum swung back in Earlham’s favor in game three as the guests posted a 25-20 win, with W-G forcing a fifth game with a 25-14 win in game four.
A 15-10 victory in game five granted the victory to the Hawks.
Jada Tague had 13 wins to pace the Hawk attack, with Grace Deputy adding 10 kills and Brayten Ashman and Audrey Simmons eight apiece. Ashley Gerken recorded six kills, with Samantha Volz and Lindsay Mescher have three kills each.
Simmons had 22 assists and Volz nine, with Darby Nixon having six, Gerken three, and Ashman and Tague one each.
The Hawk defense was stingy and stout throughout. Simmons compiled 29 digs and Nixon 26, with Tague tallying 25 and Ashman 21. Volz recorded 13 digs, Deputy and Gerken two apiece, and Mescher, Cela Hill, and Bella McDivitt one each.
The hosts finished with an 87 percent service accuracy, connecting on 97-of-112 attempts. The team recorded 13 aces along the way.
Nixon was 15-of-16 with four aces, Simmons 17-22-3 and Ashman 19-22-2. Tague was 19-19-2 behind the line and Volz 15-18-1 with Deputy 3-5-1 and Gerken 9-of-10.
W-G returns to action Tuesday with a trip to WCAC foe Ogden.
