LINDEN — North Montgomery’s volleyball team kept Frankfort close for the final three sets, but in the end, the Hot Dogs took the Sagamore Conference win 3-1.
It was 14-25, 24-26, 25-23 and 24-26 as the Chargers fall to 3-5 on the season, and lose their conference opener. Frankfort, who defeated Southmont last week, improves to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the league.
All four sets were back and forth, with both teams holding a lead at some point of each.
The first set saw North lead early, but the Hot Dogs took off from a 9-9 tie to cruise.
The second set had the Chargers down 14-9 and come back to lead 19-15. The visitors closed on an 8-2 run.
The third set had Frankfort lead early, but North put on a 10-4 streak and eventually take the set.
The final set was sandwiched by two Hot Dogs streak, a 5-1 run to start and a 7-1 run to finish.
“We really put it together in that third set,” North coach Taylor Pierce said. “It is also really good to see us compete so hard in the three close sets. Now it’s just finishing those close ones out. It is so hard to simulate that kind of pressure and situation in practice.”
Kaydence Young was the big hitter for the Chargers, with 10 kills. The senior had a pair of service aces.
Piper Young and Hope Delp each had four kills. Kate Merica had four aces, all in a row in the fourth set.
“We’ve put Kaydence on the outside this season to get her more big plays,” Pierce said. “I also thought Ayden (Braun) was big for us, communicating well and putting the ball in play, and I really like some things from Caelyn Carpenter. She had some big blocks and was in good position.”
Carpenter finished with two kills, blocks and aces
The Hot Dogs kills leader was sophomore Lily Rockhold with 15. She also had two of the 17 Frankfort service aces, a big positive for the visitors.
“We were 1-9 on the road last season,” Frankfort coach Kia Rushton said. “Getting on a hot bus for a 45-minute ride made for a big test, and we passed! We had players make big plays, like Addy Keck with a huge kill in the fourth set. I’m very happy to be 6-1.”
Jalen Smith led the Hot Dogs with 28 assists, and libero Caroline Queen had 18 digs.
“We are improving,” Pierce said of her squad. “We are more disciplined than at the start of the season, and of course there is always lots of work to do, but we are making more things happen, and getting those last points in a set will make a difference. Frankfort will host Crawfordsville on Oct. 8.
North is back in action today with a trip to Danville and heads to South on Sept. 3.
