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After winning the first set, Loyalsock had allowed South Williamsport to go on a mini-run late in the second set to take a commanding 22-18 lead as the Mounties looked poised to even up the match at one-set apiece.
But Loyalsock rallied as their defense locked in to win the second set, 28-26, and swept South Williamsport in both team's season openers at Lancer Arena Thursday evening, 3-0.
"It's very exciting (to start out 1-0). It was a long haul of practices with only one scrimmage, so our girls were really antsy to get on the court tonight," Loyalsock coach Allison Mertes said.
Both teams showed some first-match jitters in the first set as missed serves and shaky passing was plentiful. But, Loyalsock took over the first set with strong serving to blow open a close set and turn it into a 25-15 opening-set win.
The dramatic second set was a back-and-forth affair as South fought back from an early 5-0 deficit due to a serving run by Aly Hughes to tie the set at 12 on an ace by Lily Weaver. A few points later, the cannon right arm of Mountie Briley Martin gave her team a 16-13 lead. But, Loyalsock would fight back, and a kill by Gia Mertes and ace by Ria Vincenzes cut the South Williamsport lead to 22-21 and they'd run off the next two points to give themselves two set points at 24-23.
But another kill by Martin and a misplayed ball tied the set up 24. Loyalsock gave themselves another set point at 26-25, but a great crosscourt shot from Martin tied it up at 26. The Lancers would find a way to win the set two points later as a Mertes ace sealed it, 28-26.
"It's super important to get (a tight set) out of the way at the beginning of the year, so they know what it's like to come back from behind and to stay up when you are up, and that competitive back and forth that you just have to stay ready and on your toes for every ball," coach Mertes said.
The third set was nip-and-tuck, and South nudged ahead just past the halfway point of the set with a kill by Daniela Brigandi to make it 14-13. And Brigandi impacted the set in a huge way once again when her ace tied up the set at 18 apiece. But a clutch Vincenzes ace put Loyalsock up 21-18, a crucial block by Mertes put the Lancers up 24-19, and they finished it off two points later for a match-clinching 25-20 win.
"Our defense really stepped up the game and took control of our back row for us, just like we needed them to do, so that we were able to get the sets and the kills," coach Mertes said.
The season will start to ramp up for both teams now, and Mertes knows her team needs to keep their focus as they start to get less practice time.
"It gets super busy from here on out. Once games start, it's game after game. We just really need to continue to work on our defense and continue to work on communication and don't let our service game fall apart. Keep it where it is," she said.