Pleasant Ridge sweeps home VB Tri

It was a big night for NEKL volleyball standings, as three teams who were 4-3 in league play matched up in Easton, Kansas. 

In the first match of the night, it was a fun, back and forth first set between Riverside and Pleasant Ridge to kick off our night of NEKL volleyball action. Neither team could get a lead bigger than one through the first 18 points of the night, after the 9-9 tie, Riverside scored the next 3 points, forcing a Rams timeout. Pleasant Ridge responded though, scoring 6 of the next 7 points to take a 15-13 lead. Riverside responded out of a timeout to get it to 17 all, but the Rams pulled away to take set one, 25-21. 

Set number two started the same way, with the first 14 points being distributed evenly, with a 7-7 tie. Pleasant Ridge took a 12-11 lead, and then ripped off 8 straight points to take a 20-11 lead. They never looked back, as they won set two 25-13, sweeping the Cyclones. 

Juniors Haddie Miller and Kali Rush were great in the first match for the Rams. 

In the second match between Troy and Riverside, the first set was as tight as can be, between these two teams, with nobody grabbing a lead bigger than 3 points. It was tight all the way through the first 42 points of the set, with a 21-21 tie. But Troy scored the next 4 points to take set one. 

In the second set, the Trojans carried over that momentum, jumping out to a 9-3 advantage, but the Cyclones responded out of a timeout, getting the score knotted up at 12 apiece. From there, the game followed the same script as the first set, back and forth action, but after a 17-17 tie, the Trojans scored 8 of the next 10, defeating Riverside 25-19, sweeping the Cyclones. 

Despite being swept, Riverside looked impressive, with junior Kennedy Griffin, senior Kayahna Hewins and sophomore Rory Stewart playing well. 

In the night cap between, Troy and Pleasant Ridge it was a three set thriller. In the first set, it was back and forth, as was the theme of the night, with a 14-14 tie. Pleasant Ridge scored 11 of the next 19, to take set number one 25-22. Senior Isabella Bryan was impressive at the service line. 

Set number two was dominated early by Troy to start, jumping out to a 15-8 lead, but the Rams scored 10 of the next 13, tying the game 18-18. Pleasant Ridge went up 23-20, but Troy rallied thanks to sophomore Stella Engemann, serving three straight aces, Troy won set two 25-23. 

The Rams dominated set three, jumping out to a 23-10 lead, and ended up winning 25-15, defeating the Trojans in three sets. 

Pleasant Ridge goes 2-0 on the night, and improves to 9-8 on the season and 6-3 in league play. Troy goes 1-1, making them 10-11 on the season and 5-4 in NEKL play. Riverside goes 0-2 and is 5-13 on the year and 4-5 in NEKL play.