Bismarck owns Lady Tigers again

PARK HILLS — For the third straight time this season, the Bismarck Lady Indians defeated the Arcadia Valley Lady Indians in straight sets, the latest came on Wednesday in the MAAA fifth-place, semi-finals 25-19, 25-16. 

The Lady Tigers put up a challenge in the early going of both games, but each time Bismarck would finish off the game with a long run of points. In the first game the score stood at 20-19, before Hailey Cadwell served out the match for Bismarck. In game two, Darcy Latham utilized her power serve to run off four straight.

Both teams ruled the play when their top hitter was at the net. Kristen Williams helped the Lady Tigers get a jump start in game one as sister Megan Williams rattled off four straight serves, finishing with an ace before Bismarck could put a point on the scoreboard. 

Once in gear, the Lady Indians went to their ace hitter Darcy Latham, and Latham delivered on cue as she provided Bismarck with 15 points on her kills and another point on a stuff block in the match. Kristen Williams finished the game with 10 kills and  a stuff block for Arcadia Valley.

Both hitters took benefit of very accurate sets as Jaelyn Crocker made 16 assists for Arcadia Valley, and Jamey Kelley put up 17 for the Lady Indians. Chandler Politte also had seven assists for Bismarck.

Cadwell served a stretch of four points to help Bismarck catch up to Arcadia Valley’s early start by Megan Williams in game one. Cadwell served 10 points to lead the Lady Indians in that department. Kelley was next with eight points served. Crocker matched Megan Williams with seven points served to lead the Lady Tigers.

Once evened up the two teams battled back and forth with the lead never expanding beyond three until Cadwell’s last turn at serve.

In game two, the Lady Tigers seemed to have lost heart as Bismarck jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead, starting with an ace serve by Heather Prunty for the first point. Kelley served two aces as she pushed the score to 7-1 before Arcadia Valley could gain their second side-out.

Jessica Sago served two more points for the Lady Indians before the Lady Tigers came to life on Crocker’s serve. Crocker scored two aces as part of a seven point run to tie the game at 11, and both teams traded side-outs until Bismarck gained a four-point spread on Jessica Sago’s serve just before Latham’s final run.

Bismarck (18-9-1) will face Potosi in the fifth place game this evening, and Arcadia Valley (13-16-2) will head to the practice court to prepare for their district opener against West County on Monday at St. Pius.