COVINGTON – Athletics are very unpredictable and unforgiving at times because there are nights when things just don’t go as planned. Thursday was one of those nights for Covington as it seemed the Lady Buccs just couldn’t find a groove in a stunning defeat to Lehman Catholic in a critical TRC match.
Covington, who defeated Lehman in three straight sets earlier in the season, got off to a slow start in the opening set as Lehman built an eight-point lead. The Lady Buccs managed to battle back and tie the score at 23-23 on a huge block at the net by Carlie Besecker, but Lehman was able to score the remaining two points of the opening set for a 25-23 win.
The Lady Buccs appeared to settle in late in the second set by pulling away for a 25-18 win to tie the match at 1-1, but Lehman reclaimed the momentum once again in the third set 25-17.
Finding themselves in a tough situation against an amped up volleyball team, Covington was able to extend the match to a fifth set with a narrow 27-25 victory in set four.
The fifth set was back and forth like much of the earlier sets and unfortunately the Lady Buccs came out on the short end of a 15-13 score.
The loss is a tough one to swallow for Covington, as it trailed Miami East by one game in the TRC standings entering the contest. Now, with the loss, the Lady Buccs are 12-7 overall and 10-2 in the TRC and two games behind the Vikings with only two league games left against Riverside and Miami East.
Covington’s JV remained undefeated in league play with a 25-15, 25-11 sweep.
Covington will host non-league neighbor Bradford on Monday evening in the annual Community Appreciation Night and then host Riverside on Tuesday night for Senior Night.
Covington Stats:
Taylor Kirker – 1 ace, 3 kills, 39 assists, 3 block assists and 25 digs.
Nigella Reck – 3 aces, 21 kills, 1 assist, 1 solo block, 3 block assists and 29 digs.
Hailey Naff – 8 kills.
Carlie Besecker – 1 ace, 11 kills, 4 solo blocks, 4 block assists and 7 digs.
Ella Remley – 2 block assists and 1 dig.
Kearsten Wiggins – 1 ace, 1 kill, 1 solo block, 1 block assist and 15 digs.
Reaghan Lemp – 2 aces, 1 assist and 9 digs.
Lauren York – 12 digs.
Mazelle Reck – 2 kills and 1 block assist.