Cowgirls in first place after five-game win over Prairie Valley

BRYSON – After the first game Saturday between the volleyball leaders of District 10-A, you had to wonder if Bryson would survive the next two games.

Visiting Prairie Valley came into Cowboy Gym Saturday morning with fire in its eyes and dominated the hostesses, leading by 12 late in the opener. A late serving run by Windsor Godfrey made the 18-25 final much closer than the actual game was.

Godfrey’s run actually inspired something in her fellow Cowgirls, who were tied at 17 in game two before succumbing 21-25. Enough was enough in games three and four as Bryson turned on the full power switch to win 25-10, 25-13 before taking the match 15-11 in game five.

Bryson is all alone in 10-A with the victory but gets a rematch with the Lady Dogs’ Saturday morning at 11 for a chance to flat out clinch the loop title. Bryson Coach Kim Hauger said his squad played with fear in the first game.

“We played scared at first and then our hitters did what they asked,” Hauger commented after the 1:45 contest.

It was Godfrey that picked up a kill to set up serving run by the sophomore. The fivepoint skein had kills from Riley Valiant and Victoria Goodman, who each had big parts in shutting down Prairie Valley.

In game two, Rachel Robinson’s three-point string gave the Cowgirls a 7-6 lead, its first of the match. Valliant and Goodman kills each each broke serve to keep things close.

Goodman had a threepoint string of her own after a kill to go up 14-12. Robinson tied the game two at 17 with a Godfrey kill, which would prove to be the last tie and the Lady Dogs would pull away from there.

Tracy Hauger rolled off the first seven points of game three for Bryson with Goodman extending the lead to 11-2 with three points of her own.Prairie Valley would get within 9-12 before Bryson broke serve and Emery Fisher put together a rare 10-point string to go up 23-9. Prairie Valley was its own worst enemy in the string to the delight of a partisan Cowgirl crowd.

Things went little different for the visitors in game four, Hauger opening with three straight points with Robinson adding another four for an 11-3 lead. Fisher added a pair, aided by a Godfrey kill, to put the lead into double figures at 14-4. Bryson led by as many as 14 before a game five was forced as the Cowgirls broke serve with kills from Robinson and Valliant.

Prairie Valley had one last gasp, going up 3-0. Hauger’s block broke serve and put Bryson on the board.

She then served a point, thrown home by a Valliant kill to get within one. Goodman’s pair, including an ace knotted the game at five. Ties at both six and seven were put home by Valliant kills.

Robinson went up 8-7 with a point, the squads trading serves for the next two points. Godfrey forced a timeout with a single point for an 11-9 lead. A Valliant kill set the stage for Hauger, who served a up a pair and match point.

Prairie Valley got within 11-14 before Valliant’s kill sent the Bryson crowd into delirium.