CPHS Volleyball: Holland scores 13 kills in 3-1 loss to Union

The Charles Page High School varsity volleyball team hasn’t been able to catch a break in recent weeks, and once again they found themselves short-handed in a winnable match. The Class 6A No. 18 ranked Sandites (18-14, 2-7) won a set against No. 13 Union (15-10, 4-3) Tuesday evening at the Ed Dubie Field House, but with two of their top hitters unavailable they couldn’t keep up with the deep Redskin bench.

The Sandites have been without top-scorer Payton Robbins for eight matches now, and they lost third-highest scorer Layla Lenex to a mild injury on Saturday. Both are expected to return to the lineup in time for Thursday’s match.

Junior Kasidy Holland stepped up big for the Sandites against Union, scoring a game-high 13 kills, followed by Jacelyn Smith and Sophie Singleton with seven each. Freshman Averi Tippit also had a big game with five kills, three blocks, and two aces. Singleton had five blocks, and Smith had three aces with two blocks. Teyha Johnson had 31 assists, and Charley Fahland made ten digs.

At times it looked like Union would run away with the first set, but each time the Sandites clawed their way back in it. Holland tied it at 9-9 before the Redskins went on a seven-point streak. Charley Fahland scored two aces in a four-point home streak, but Union scored six more in a row for a 19-10 lead. Sand Springs wouldn’t go down without a fight and won five of the final seven rallies before Mia Martin secured the 25-22 win with a kill.

Sand Springs opened set two on a 3-0 run with an ace from Tippit and a kill from Singleton. They held the lead till 18-15, then Union scored five in a row to take their first lead of the game. Holland tied it back up at 21-21, Union won the next two rallies, then the Sandites scored four in a row for the 25-23 win.

Union scored seven in a row for a 17-9 lead in set three. Holland scored two kills, and Olivia Dewitt scored a kill and two aces in a five-point run to cut it to 18-16, but the Redskins won six in a row for the 25-17 win.

Game four was another streaky affair. The visitors opened on a 4-0 run, Smith scored two aces in a five-point run for the lead, then Union scored nine in a row and the Sandites never recovered. The closest they got was 19-13 before Union won six of the final seven rallies.

Tierney Jackson was the top-scoring Redskin with 12 kills and two aces. Emily Ludwig had 11 kills, and Aly Blackwell had a game-best six aces. Union had 50 kills to the Sandites’ 35, and scored more aces.

Sandite Volleyball will wrap up the regular season Thursday at home with a 6:30 p.m. non-conference match against 5A No. 12 Collinsville (13-18). Union will host No. 17 Booker T. Washington (8-13, 3-4) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to wrap up their conference season.

Union 3-1 CPHS (25-22, 23-25, 25-17, 25-14)
Kills: Union 50, CPHS 35.
Blocks: CPHS 6, Union 5.
Aces: Union 14, CPHS 10.
Errors: Union 27, CPHS 29.

(Sand Springs Stats)
Kills: Holland 13, Smith 7, Singleton 7, Tippit 5, Fowler 2, Dewitt 1.
Assists: Johnson 31, Blaylock 1.
Solo Blocks: Singleton 1.
Assisted Blocks: Singleton 4, Tippit 3, Fowler 2, Smith 2.
Digs: Fahland 10, Blaylock 7, Hughes 7, Dewitt 6, Singleton 3, Tippit 2, Johnson 2, Fowler 1.
Aces: Fahland 3, Smith 3, Tippit 2, Dewitt 2.

(Union partial stats)
Kills: Jackson 12, Ludwig 11, Smith 8, Robledo 6, Norwood 4, Blackwell 4, Martin 4, Stanley 1.
Solo Blocks: Stanley 1, Jackson 1.
Assisted Blocks: Smith 2, Ludwig 1, Martin 1, Robledo 1, Stanley 1.
Aces: Blackwell 6, Willis 4, Jackson 2, Ludwig 1, Fanelli 1.