The Dolores Bears got revenge on Wednesday.
In their first meeting with the Dove Creek Bulldogs earlier this season, the Lady Bears won the first two games before the Lady Bulldogs strung together three straight wins to come from behind and take the match 3-2.
Wednesday night’s affair may not have matched the drama, but it was a fantastic match in its own right.
The two teams hung together for four sets and neither was able to completely pull away as the momentum shifts came frequently.
After Dove Creek won a close game one 25-21, Dolores bounced back to build the biggest lead of the night to begin the second set.
The Lady Bears ran out to a 10-1 advantage and appeared set to cruise to a win. But the Bulldogs fought back, and a block from Breea Meyer and a kill by Kiera Baughman highlighted a run that narrowed the gap to 14-13.
But after starting in such a hole, Dove Creek was unable to complete the comeback, and scores by Josie Majors, Jordan Elder and Harlie Valdez led the Bears to a 25-18 win to knot the match at one.
The largest lead in game three was four points, and it didn’t come until the final score of the contest.
The Bears and Bulldogs alternated runs and battled during extended rallies. A spike by Elder and a block by Valdez were answered by Dove Creek’s Madilyn Hankins, who responded with two straight kills of her own.
6-6. 11-11. 16-16.
Neither team could pull away and the score was tied at 13 different instances.
But with the teams even at 21, Dolores rattled off four consecutive points and Sierra Schwartz finished off the set with a spike as the Lady Bears won 25-21.
Dove Creek put together a series of scores to build a 15-9 advantage in game four in hopes of sending the match to a deciding fifth set.
However, a kill by Schwartz and a great serve by Alyana Frasier sparked a Dolores run and the Lady Bears were able to complete the comeback to win 25-22 and take the match 3-1.
“It was exciting,” said Dolores head coach Gina Hollen. “They played well. I know we still have the potential to play a little better and minimize our mistakes. But they pulled it off, so it was a good win.”
Dolores moved to 6-9 on the season and 4-5 in the San Juan Basin League with the win, while Dove Creek’s record settled at 8-7 on the year and 2-6 in league play.
“I felt like we played pretty good,” said Dove Creek head coach Melissa Carver. “We played with a lot of heart, we fought hard, it just didn’t fall in our favor, unfortunately. It was a good game, both teams fought hard.”
The Lady Bears host Ignacio (6-7, 5-3 SJBL) on Thursday and then play at Nucla (12-1, 7-0 SJBL) on Saturday, while Dove Creek’s next contest is on Tuesday in Mancos (2-14, 1-10 SJBL).