By Riana Buchman and Sarah Westergren, Staff Writer and Photographer respectively
//The Acalanes Lady Dons faced off against their rival, the Campolindo Cougars, in an exciting match last Thursday that ended in defeat as Acalanes lost in straight sets.
As the first set got underway, the Lady Dons ended up slightly behind the Cougars. Yet, they still pushed forward with determination. Lane Webster served a few aces that caught Acalanes up to unfortunately finish the first game 20-25.
In the second set, the Lady Dons seemed to get a little more comfortable. Parker Jones came down swinging with three kills, and senior captain Melissa Elliott notched two. Senior Alex Matson matched Elliott with two slams of her own, and junior Theresa Nevins additionally had one to add to the team’s average.
Serving came in handy once Jones landed two aces on Campolindo’s floor. However, the Lady Dons did not have as successful a serving night as in the past. Campolindo defeated Acalanes in the second set with 25-18.
Moving over to the third set, Acalanes became more determined to snag a win, receiving encouragement and hearty cheers from their well-attended student section. The third set progressed almost identically to the second, both Jones and Matson remaining consistent with each player’s number of kills.
Melissa Elliott increased her blocking from the previous set to round out with two blocks in the third, contributing six to the team total. Nevins again pitched in with one and Jones got in on the action with one as well.
Despite the Lady Dons’ fight, they could not overcome Campolindo’s firepower. The third set ended at 25-19, dropping a rival match against Acalanes’ foe.