Lady Tigers top Leverett's Chapel

Lauren Worl looks on as Christina Cline blocks a ball for the Lady Tigers in a win over Leverett's Chapel.

Troup's Lady Tigers came from behind to win a close fourgame match against Leverett's Chapel Friday, led by Niecy Stewart with 14 kills and Christina Cline with 70 assists.

Leverett's Chapel took the first game, 18-25, before the Lady Tigers roared back in the second, 25-9. The next two games were extremely close, with Troup prevailing by scores of 27-25 and 26-24.

"We played very well and hustled after balls all over the place," said head coach Arden Johnson.

Troup took the lead early in game two, 6-5, and then ran away with it. Following a Leverett's Chapel timeout with Troup leading 7-5, freshman Jessica Ross held service for the Lady Tigers until 15-5.

The two teams traded points until Troup led 20-9 and Leverett's Chapel called a second timeout. Despite the effort to regroup and slow the Lady Tigers' momentum, Troup won the next five points, with Lauren Worl doing the honors on the last play, tipping the ball over and tying the match at one game all.

Troup's Valerie York handles a tough serve.

Neither team had the momentum for long in game three, as girls' traded points with neither squad gaining more than a two-point advantage from 15-all.

With a score of 23-all, Stewart gave the Lady Tigers the final lead with a well-placed kill. Janna Ross added another point to move the Lady Tigers within one of winning, 25-24.

After Leverett's Chapel tied again, Cline and Stewart came up with a key block for the 26- 25 lead, and then Cline scored the game-winning dink for a 27- 25 final score.

The final game was similarly close, although Troup retained the lead until their opponent's tied the score at 13-all, following a string of six winning points.

Leverett's Chapel briefly took the lead, 22-23, before Troup fought back. A dig by Janna Ross, and dink by Cline, gave the team the game point lead at 25-24, with an Alex Collins kill sealing the game, 26- 24.

Following Stewart, Janna Ross and Alex Collins both had 11 kills and Worl two.

Stewart also contributed four blocks, followed by Janna Ross with three, Worl two and Collins and Cline one each.

Worl and Jessica Ross each recorded one ace, and Stewart and Jessica Ross also had one assist each.

Valerie York led the way in digs with six, followed by Jessica Ross with four, Collins and Worl with three each, and Janna Ross and Stewart with one each.

The Lady Tigers will be hosting Timpson Friday, with the JV game beginning at 4 p.m.