Watervliet High School

Varsity Falls to Howardsville Christian in Five-Set Thriller (2-3 Loss) The Panthers kept great energy against a scrappy Howardsville Christian team. It was a hard-fought battle. In the first set, the Panthers had a strong 14-6 lead, but the Eagles fought back, winning with a final score of 24-26. In set two, the Panthers rallied and won 25-19. The Eagles answered back in set three, winning 20-25. In set four, the Panthers took an early 12-4 lead, and though the Eagles battled back again, closing the gap, the Panthers ultimately won set four 25-23. The final set was a back-and-forth battle, with the Panthers falling short 13-15. Despite the loss, the team deserves praise for fighting for every point and never giving up. Ava Hobson, Braelyn Campbell, and Ava Thomas led the offensive attack as the top hitters. Izzy Bultema was dominant at the net, while Kelsea Gaston, Ava Hobson, and Addison Smith anchored the defense, leading the team in digs.