Chester dominant over KouGars

GILDFORD The Chester Lady Coyotes did everything right Friday night, passing, setting and spiking their way to dominating KG with wins of 15-3, 15-5 and 15-1 at Gildford.

The Coyotes and KouGars battled it out in a close first game until Jamie Graham and Michele VanDyke each rallied off three straight serves, giving Chester an 8-2 lead. With a 10-3 lead, senior Maci Tempel served up the next five points, including an ace, giving the game-one victory to Chester.

It took the Coyotes five tries to get their first point in the second game, but from there on out, Chester once again dominated. With kills by senior Katy Engstrom and juniors Meaghen Kraft and Marissa Stokes, Tempel served up 10 straight points to give the Coyotes an 11-1 lead.

After a misplayed ball by Chester, the KouGars' Emily Stewart served two points to pull KG to within eight. After both teams struggled to score for 10 consecutive serves, junior Lauren Hanson got the KouGars back on the scoreboard. Senior Darci Stewart followed Hanson with an ace four plays later. But that was the only scoring the KouGars did for the remainder of the game.

Chester senior Chasi Buffington got a kill to give the Coyotes a sideout two plays later, allowing Stokes to come up and serve four straight points for the 15-5 win. Buffington, who totaled five kills on the game, added a kill on Chester's final point in the second game.

After a Cady Arifin kill on an Emily Stewart serve, the KouGars took a brief 1-0 lead in the third and final game. That one point was the only point KG scored in the game.

Chester's Graham came up with the Coyotes leading 3-1 and served six straight points, giving Chester a 9-1 lead. The Coyotes got a sideout on the next play and VanDyke served the last six points, including one ace to give Chester the 15-1 win.

Chester coach Don VanDessel said he had to give the KouGars credit for not backing down and playing hard throughout the games.

"We certainly didn't look past them," he said. "We just played fairly well. No matter who we are playing, our main concern is to get better each time we are on the floor."

KG head coach Kathy Preeshl said she was much happier with how her team played Friday night compared with the tough losses on Monday to Havre's junior varsity team.

"They're just tough," she said of Chester. "We are still trying to put it all together, but we're getting there."

Chester Kills 20 (Chasi Buffington 5, Michele VanDyke 5), Sets 22 (Jamie Graham 8, Maci Tempel 7), Tips 3 (Buffington 2), Blocks 2 (Katy Engstrom 1, Heidi Cicon 1), Digs 21 (VanDyke 4, Amanda Schlepp 4), Aces 9 (Tempel 3, VanDyke 3).

KG Kills 7 (Cady Arifin 3, Emily Stewart 2), Assists 27 (Abbie Toner 7, Darci Stewart 7, Stefnie Dees 7), Blocks 4 (Arifin 3), Digs 19 (Darci Stewart 6, Toner 4), Aces 2 (Darci Stewart 2).