Getting a black eye

“Blackout” eventually meant a black eye.

With a big match Friday afternoon vs. Peaster, a “blackout” was declared to have Jacksboro fans wear black which they did en masse. The visitors, in their black road uniforms, were the ones that appeared inspired, however.

After watching the hostesses do what they wanted to in the opener, Peaster rebounded from the setback to take the match in four games 20-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-21. Jacksboro slips to 5-4 in District 7-3A with the Lady ‘Hounds, who swept the season series between the two schools, going to 6-3.

Jacksboro Coach Tennessee Arey said Peaster was able to figure out a blocking scheme the Tigerettes used in game one and the Purple was never able to recover. Because of the loss, Tuesday afternoon’s match with Tolar just became must win if Jacksboro wants to stay in the playoff mix.

“There’s no other way about it. We have to win Tuesday,” Arey said following the 1:40 encounter. “The girls are disappointed and frustrated right now and they should be.”

Knowing the urgency of the match, Jacksboro took to its home court and used three-point strings from Alex Holman and Carly Hart to take an 8-2 lead. Kills from Trinity Tisdale, Morgyn Green and Leah Plaster kept the drives alive.

Tisdale’s block and dink kept Hadlee Richardson’s streak alive and extended the lead to seven at 18-11. Hart’s second three-point skein of the match extended the lead to 20-11. Peaster began to turn the corner late in the opener, getting within 19-23 and 20-24 before Jacksboro slammed the door.

The Lady ‘Hounds got out to a 5-1 lead in game two but single points from Tisdale, Plaster, and Richardson tied the game at eight. Peaster went up 14-10 but the Tigerettes again came back to knot the game at 19 and 20 before a four-point string by the visitors evened the match at a game apiece.

Holman’s skein put the hostesses up 5-3 in game three but Peasdter roared back to take a 13-11 lead. Tied at 14 on a Carli Smith kill, Peaster broke serve and used a Sadie Ballard run to go up 18-14.

Tisdale’s three-point string, with frontcourt help from Baylee Thompson and Green, tied the game at 18. It was Green’s point that knotted the game for the last time at 20 before the visitors took control and held off Jacksboro for a 2-1 lead in the match.

Holman and Hart staked the Tigerettes to a 4-1 lead in game four. Peaster would go up 5-4 only to have three points from Tisdale give Jacksboro an 8-5 lead.

Peaster broke serve and then Audrey Case rolled off nine in a row for a 17-9 lead. Jacksboro made things interesting with pairs by Plaster and Holman to get within 16-20.

Kills from Green and Holman kept Peaster from doing any real damage, a plaster ace getting within 21-24 before the visitors finished out the match.