Lady Dogs Pull Away From Dulles

WOW, Magnolia up on Dulles 2 and 1 in their best of 3 out of 5. Two lingering questions needed to be settled. (1) How much excitement can the fans handle and (2) where are the oxygen tanks? One can only imagine what the score was going to be in this one! The money must have been on the match going to 5 hard fought games because the fans on both sides of the DAWG House were getting restless and a little more vocal and well, simply: the pedigree of both programs! (Of course I say that, because of my lack of success at the Vegas betting booths and stock market trading.) It's in the lineage, the 'wiring' or whatever you want to call it. There are two talented, trained and proud programs facing each other and neither will let up. Something will have to give! Again, things started out nip-and-tuck. Both teams were knotted up at 3-3 and 6-6. But, this set began going in a different direction and not like the others before ...

Lady Bulldog OH Kelli Stewart got it "goin' on" with a blistering kill cross court.

Magnolia surged forward with an infusion of points, 7 to 1, putting the game at 13-7. The DAWGS started looking comfortable in the driver's seat, though we've felt that way before. MB Hannah Fort put a kill on the floor at 14-8, Junior OH Kelli Stewart rocketed one in there at 15-9, Senior Michele Williams blew one in there at 17-11, Kelli Stewart again at 18-11, 'Boom Boom' answered with another blast at 19-12. It was as if the pounding started to take it's toll, but the cracks couldn't be seen yet. I was reminded of the phrase in Pirates of the Caribbean with "the beatings will continue until morale improves!"

"You want me on the line" exclaimed OHR Megan Little (l) and MB Michele

Williams (r) while repelling another invading Viking attempt

The DAWGS seemed to be in control, but with Dulles, you never know... OH Alicia Shaffer lit one up at 20-13, then a couple of Hannah Fort kills at 21-15 and 22-16 kept the DAWGS as the lead in the pack. It wasn't until Kelli Stewart's kill shot off Dulles' hands - that the crowd could let out a collective sigh of relief and finally claim "the beast is dead"! And we mean, dead! This one's not coming back, folks .... not with a 25-17 match win and an official 'W' in the Lady Bulldogs Win column!

A group of happy Dawgs (left to right): Ashlyn Newmann, Alicia Shaffer,

Michele Williams, Hannah Davies, Brittany Wheaton, Jamie Kaleh, and Breane Matula

Some stats:
MB Hannah Fort: 15 Kills, 3 Assist Blocks
MB Michele Williams: 14 Kills, 5 Assist Blocks
OHL Kelli Stewart: 12 Kills, 17 Digs, 3 Assist Blocks
OH Alicia Shaffer: 9 Kills, 17 Digs
DS Brittany Wheaton: 1 Kill, 19 Digs
S Hannah Davies: 29 Assists, 10 Digs
S Paige Holland: 19 Assists

GREAT JOB LADY BULLDOGS!!