Willows knocks out Corning

It may have been just the opening-round game in the Division IV playoffs, but it ended up more like a prize fight in the Corning gymnasium Thursday, as the two combatants went after each other for four rounds before Willows delivered a 23-25, 23-25, 27-25, 23-25 blow that knocked the Lady Cardinals out of the playoffs.

Corning came out swinging and landed the first blows to take an 8-1 lead in the first game, with six of the points coming with Arielle Patton at the line.

Following a Willows timeout, the Honkers struck back to close the gap to 10-8 with kills from Hailey Daniels and Lindsay Vantol, coupled with a pair of Vantol ace serves.

Willows remained within striking distance and finally forged the game's first tie at 16-16, with further deadlocks occurring at 17-17 and 23-23.

With Kristina Acosta serving, the Honkers took the game's last two points with kills from Daniels and Vantol.

The teams were never more than three points apart in the second game until a six-point Willows service run with Vantol at the line put them up 22-15. Corning played themselves back in behind the strength of four kills, but an attempted kill went into the net to give Willows the second-game win and put the Lady Cardinals on the ropes.

Game 3 featured more of the sense of urgency evidenced in the first two as players from both sides continued throwing their bodies across the hardwood in order to keep balls in play.

Neither squad led by more than a couple points throughout the third game, and the score remained deadlocked at 21-21.

After Corning moved ahead 24-21, Willows answered with three points of its own, evening the score at 24-24. The Honkers then went up by a point when Corning put the ball into the net, but Corning rattled off the last three points to take the third game.

Corning looked to be in the driver seat in Game 4, as a five-point service run by Jessica Flores saw Corning sitting on a 19-10 advantage. Willows turned up the intensity and played its way back in once more, tying the game at 23-23. They then came up with the game's last two points to end Corning's season and earn a second-round match up.

"The key to this game was getting the pass into my setters' hands," said coach Carol Martin. "I have a great line-up of front-row hitters, and if we can get the pass to the setters' hands we can put it away."

She also cautioned the need for intensity to remain a constant at this level of competition, saying, "As soon as the intensity was lost we started making mistakes. When the intensity stops, the points stop too."

Serving was extremely strong and consistent among the Honkers, as Linday Vantol led the effort with nine service points, with Daniels, Olivia Fleming, Kaitlin Alves, and  Carrin Lester each notching eight, and Acosta, seven.

Alves and Acosta each put up 11 assists, with Daniels using some of them for her team-high 12 kills. Vantol and Lester both put seven to the floor as well.

Willows advanced to Tuesday's second-round game with the 39-1 Huskies at Sutter. Results will appear in Sports Friday.