The block came up big for Ravens Volleyball at the right time Tuesday night against the Baker Wildcats in Atchison.
Three-straight blocks gave the Ravens a fourth-set win and a 3-1 match win (25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23).
The Ravens held a 21-18 lead in the fourth set, but the Wildcats stormed back to take a 23-21 lead, forcing a timeout by the Ravens. Coming out of the timeout ready to take back control of the set and the match, the Ravens rattled off 4 points in a row. Fleur Wesselink started the winning rally with a kill, then the Ravens scored on a block by Paxton Throne and Haylie Dickerson, then another block by Dickerson and Donetta Cage, and finally a solo block by Dickerson to earn the 25-23 win.
Tuesday's action featured four very tight sets.
The Ravens took the opening set 25-22, which turned out to be a familiar score. Each team stayed within a couple points of each other the entire way through, but the Ravens finally grabbed control late in the set.
With Baker leading 20-19, the Ravens got kills by Cage and Kate Hanson, then an ace by Throne to take a 22-20 lead. A kill by Wesselink put the Ravens up 24-21 and a hit out of bounds by the Wildcats sealed the first set.
The visitors took control of the second set late and went on to win it. Tied 20-20, the Wildcats finished the set on a 5-2 run to win 25-22 and level the match 1-1, setting up the third set as a fight for who would take the ever-important 2-1 lead.
Tied 21-21 in the third set, the Ravens came out of a timeout ready to grab control of the match. A kill by Cage and an ace by Taylor Shroll gave the Ravens a 23-21 lead. Then kills by Wesselink and Hanson gave the Ravens a 25-22 set win.
Wesselink led the Ravens with 22 kills while Elizabeth Nobert and Dickerson had 10 kills, each. Throne had 49 assists on the night. Hannah Thomazin had 19 digs and Wesselink had 10 digs. Dickerson had three solo blocks and two block assists and Nobert and Cage each had three block assists. Shroll, Murphy O'Malley, and Maria Duran all had two aces in the match.
With the win, the Ravens are now 5-0 against the Wildcats dating back to the 2017 season when Heart volleyball switched to playing within divisions.
The Ravens (10-13, 5-3 Heart) returns to action Thursday, Oct. 3 at College of St. Mary in Omaha, Neb.
