CLIFTON – Armed with only two seniors and a host of talented underclassmen, the Clifton Lady Cub volleyball team did not realize their dream of making the Class 3A, Division II playoffs for the first time in years this season. But under the guidance of first-year head coach Paige Poth, the Lady Cubs have laid the foundation for the future.
In their home finale Tuesday, the Lady Cubs dropped a hard-fought four-set match to playoff-bound Rio Vista in a District 17-3A matchup at the Clifton High School gymnasium. Clifton (4-9 in district, 17-21 overall) won the first set, 25-17, but Rio Vista (8-5, 18-15) battled back to win the second, 25-19, then took control to put the Lady Cubs away, 25-11, 25-9.
“We battled and fought hard against Rio Vista,” Clifton volleyball’s first-year head coach Paige Poth said. “We came out and did a good job running the offense and playing solid defense.”
Sophomore Ava Anderson led the Lady Cubs with nine kills, followed by freshman Elizabeth Scott with five. Senior Audrey Anderson provided a team-highs with 21 digs and 27 service receptions, followed by Ava Anderson with 16 digs and 10 service receives, sophomore Kasandra Gaona with 11 digs and 16 service receives, while junior Bailey Ledbetter dished out 20 assists and 10 digs.
“Tonight, we have Whitney,” said Poth as Clifton travels to Whitney today to take off the playoff-bound Lady Wildcats at 5 p.m. “We did really good things last time up against them. We ran a solid defense and did good things offensively.”
In other District 17-3A action today, the district champion and fourth-ranked West Lady Trojans (13-0, 37-4) visits Grandview (6-7, 19-17), district runner-up and 21st-ranked Maypearl (10-3, 31-9) travels to Waco to face Harmony Science Academy (0-13); and Rio Vista (8-5, 18-15) hosts Keene (3-10, 6-22).
Photos by SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS
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