Saturday, what a day! Words were tough to come by after a day like the DuBois Volleyball (#5 USCAA) team had on Saturday when they hosted PSU Fayette (#4 USCAA), and UC Clermont (#1 USCAA). To start things off, DuBois faced Fayette in a heated PSUAC battle. Fayette gave DuBois their only conference loss back in September, and DuBois was looking to avenge that mistake.
Both teams came to play, and they neither was going to back down. In an instant Fayette was on top 12-4 in the first set. DuBois looked like they were not ready for the spark that Fayette brought to the match, but in a sudden burst of energy DuBois came to life. Keara Shrefler (Kersey, PA), who was named the weeks USCAA Player of the Week started doing what she does above the net, and started attacking with force. Allison Easton (Coudersport, PA) joined in with her own attacking game, as the two joined forces with the DuBois setting duo, Alyssa Simbeck (St Marys, PA) and Brittany English (Winburne, PA). Simbeck and English threw up 16 and 19 assists respectively to the front line. Easton and Shrefler new exactly what to do with those as they had a field day of kills. Shrefler put down 20 kills on the match, while Easton added 15 of her own.
DuBois would go on to take the match in 4 sets, 3-1. The day wasn't over for the team yet though, as they had UC Clermont waiting in the shadows.
DuBois started off a little differently against UC Clermont, coming out with strong heads and even stronger hits. UC Clermont would not put up much of a fight in the first set, and DuBois took advantage with a 25-16 set win.
UC Clermont came to life in the second however, with an attack of their own. DuBois did not falter however as Shrefler, Gracie Hamilton (Ulysses, PA), and Skylar Ceprish (Allport, PA) kept their opponents at bay with a flurry of digs between them all.
That defense would be the difference as DuBois would go on to take the second set, 25-20.
The third was a mix of back and forth, ups and downs, and a lot of hard work on both sides of the net. DuBois and UC Clermont would trade points almost the entire game. A solid kill by DuBois, a great dig and set by UC Clermont. Back and forth the ladies went, trying valiantly to put their opponents away, and hoping for some breathing room. That never happened, but UC Clermont saw some light as they were able to take DuBois to overtime, and finally take a set, 25-23.
Exhaustion was setting in by this time, but neither team was willing to fold. The faces on each player showed that they were won, but their eyes showed no such thing. Both teams came here to win, and neither were going to be denied.
As the fourth set began DuBois handed UC Clermont some serves that they couldn't handle. English and Ceprish, both products of West Branch High School did their part from the serving line, and dropped in 6 aces between them. English and Simbeck had their usual outstanding set count, and Easton and Shrefler held their line with an offensive attack as always. However, somehow UC Clermont found a way to stim the attack, and took the fourth set, 25-21 to send the match into a fifth set.
DuBois looked to be in complete control of the final set, as UC Clermont committed a couple of errors that DuBois took advantage of. DuBois poured it on, taking a 12-8 lead, and looked like it was their match. UC Clermont put down a couple of hard attacks though, knowing that they were backed into a corner. With a few straight kills UC Clermont was right back in the set, and caught DuBois off guard as they put on the final touches to take the set (15-13), and the match, 3-2.
Saturday, what a day!