High School Volleyball: Carlinville gets back on track against North Mac
Isabella Tiburzi was one of three Cavaliers to contribute seven service points during the Carlinville High School varsity volleyball team’s home conference game against North Mac Sept. 7. Tiburzi also added 12 assists and helped lead the Cavaliers to a 25-11, 25-19 victory over their Route 4 rival. Photo contributed.
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
After playing through a tough early-season schedule that included opponents such as Highland, Carrollton, Auburn and Williamsville, Kaitie Hammann’s Carlinville Cavaliers were battle-tested and prepared for their South Central Conference opener against North Mac.
The Cavaliers straight set the Panthers 25-11. 25-19 at the Big House on West Main Sept. 7 and improved to 4-2 (1-0) on the year.
Carlinville was cooking from the back hash with 11 service aces and additionally put forth a balanced defensive attack up front.
The Cavaliers got seven service points apiece from Karly Tipps, Jordyn Loveless and Isabella Tiburzi.
Tiburzi added 12 assists and was one of four CHS players to have three kills, along with Loveless, Madeline Murphy and Ella Clevenger.
Makenah Dugan and Chloe Pope both logged double figures in digs. Dugan led the Cavies with 16 and Pope added 13.
At the net, Hannah Gibson put down a team-high four kills, while Murphy and Clevenger each denied a pair of Panthers via two rejections.
North Mac fell to 2-3 (0-1 SCC) with the loss.
Other action
In other action, Staunton rebounded from a 23-25, 21-25 home loss against Williamsville and breezed to a 25-13, 25-13 straight set of Southwestern Sept. 7. The Bulldogs are 8-4 and 1-0 in the SCC. The Piasa Birds are 1-11 (0-1 SCC).
Gillespie was denied a home conference victory against Litchfield in ‘The Pit’ Sept. 7. The Miners forced a third set, but came up short, 18-25, 25-16, 18-25. Gillespie has now lost eight of its first nine matches. The Miners are 0-1 in the SCC.
Mt. Olive has put together a winning record of 4-3 over its past seven games after a rough 1-7 start. The Wildcats recently defeated Edinburg (Sept. 5 and 9), Ramsey (Sept. 8) and Lovejoy (Sept. 11).
Bunker Hill dropped to 1-5 on the season with a 12-25, 18-25 loss at Ramsey Sept. 6.
