Biggs propels Elizabethton to nonconference win over Bearcats
Published 11:06 pm Tuesday, September 8, 2015
CORRESPONDENT
With Elizabethton ahead by two games over Virginia High in a nonconference match at Treadway Gym Tuesday night, all momentum shifted to Virginia and Mary Beth Biggs had to do something about it
Biggs came through with seven straight points — many of them unreturnable serves — and though the match eventually went four, she was the sparkplug the Lady Cyclones needed to pull out a much-needed confidence builder.
Biggs had six aces and 10 digs to help lead EHS to a 25-23, 25-20, 23-25, 25-20 victory over the Lady Bearcats heading into a battle for third place in the Three Rivers Conference Thursdayat Treadway Gym against Sullivan North.
First things first, and Elizabethton did not take the night off against the Lady Bearcats just because it was a nonconference match. As a matter of fact, EHS gave one of its best efforts of the season, and Biggs was the sparkplug that got everyone going.
Biggs played well throughout, but with Virginia ahead 10-2 and all momentum swinging its way, Biggs figured out that serve-receive was a weakness of the Lady Bearcats, and she served seven bullets.
It was then 10-9, and even thought the Lady Bearcats ended up winning the game, the run set the tone for game four, when Elizabethton pulled out another close game in what became a very tense match.
Elizabethton led most of game four and used the momentum it had from the game-three comeback to carry over and triumph.
“I think the serves set the tone for game four,” Biggs said. “The serves ended up really good, and everybody got their spirit up.”
Biggs also had 10 digs on the night, and her defense and passing helped give EHS a boost all night long.
In a match like this where it is easy to sleepwalk through, Biggs felt she needed to be a vocal leader and to fire up the squad on this night.
“I thought just because it was a nonconference match doesn’t mean we don’t need to give 100 percent,” Biggs said. “We give 100 percent every single match.”
Elizabethton head coach Leslee Bradley saw that effort, which included a couple of digs from Rachel Robinson in game two that drew a huge ovation from the crowd.
“We definitely were learning where to hit as the match went on,” Bradley said. “We made some silly mistakes that put us in a hole that allowed it to be closer than the match should have been, but the girls were able to regroup, and when we needed a positive play to happen, we made a positive play happen.”
“As the night went on, there might have been a little chatter going on across the net, so they were really wanting to go at each other.”Madyson Smith had eight kills, 10 digs and 13 assists. Chloe Hambrick had seven kills, six aces and 11 digs. Rachel Robinson had seven kills and 12 assists, and Sydney Goodsell had 11 digs for EHS.
