Clovers end season with tough loss to Golden Arrows

CLOVERDALE — Cloverdale had its final home game of the volleyball season on Thursday night. The Sullivan Golden Arrows came to visit in a Western Indiana Conference matchup and made quick work of the Clovers.

The Arrows used several big runs in all three sets to sweep the Clovers 25-10, 25-7, 25-13. The dominant Sullivan squad were never threatened after the first few points of each set.

The Clovers dropped to 2-21 on the season and 0-9 in the WIC. Sullivan improved their record to 15-8 overall and 5-4 in conference action. Both squads are now ready for sectional play next week.

“(Sullivan) is a really strong team and has some big hitters. We did kind of give up on a few balls tonight and that didn’t help us come back,” Cloverdale head coach Paige Glassburn said.

The Arrows started and finished the first set strong. Sullivan jumped out to a 4-0 lead early and extended tat to 10-3 before the Clovers got a back row kill from Keely McSwine and points from Callee Smith, Jacie Neese and Norah Frye to cut the lead to 11-6.

The Arrows used their first big run, this one an 8-0 run to take a 19-6 lead and closed out the Clovers 25-10 as Jacie Wilson was dominant at the net with eight kills and two blocks in the set.

“Keely has been doing a lot for us lately. We have changed some rotations, and she has been playing well,” Glassburn said.

Cloverdale got off to a quick start early in the second set and took a 4-1 lead behind a Neese ace and a Paisley Meyerrose point. Unfortunately, the lead did not last.

Sullivan went on a huge run as they scored 24 of the next 25 points and finished the set with a 25-7 win and a 2-0 lead. Wilson led the attack for Sullivan, this time not at the net, but had three aces in addition to the net play that was dominant.

“We have been playing well lately, this one was tough. We didn’t do what we needed to, and (Sullivan) was really tough,” Glassburn said.

Cloverdale took an early 1-0 lead in the third set and the two teams battled evenly early with Sullivan having a slim 5-4 lead before a big run by the Arrows put the game out of reach.

The Arrows went on an 8-1 run to lead 13-5 until the Clovers rallied a little. McSwine had a kill and a block, and the Clovers were able to cut the deficit 14-10, but Sullivan scored 11 of the next 13 points and closed out the Clovers 25-13.

Neese had a quality outing for the Clovers as she picked up four points and several digs.

“Jacie has been doing a lot of the dirty work for us and getting to a lot of balls,” Glassburn said.

The Clovers will now open sectional play at White River Valley on Tuesday as they take on Lighthouse Christian.

“We feel pretty good going into sectionals. We have done some good things,” Glassburn said.