LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — CORBIN—Both coaches knew coming into the South Laurel-Corbin volleyball match Tuesday that getting a win wasn’t going to be easy.

The two teams had met twice previously this season, the latest being in the Lady Colonel First Priority Classic this past weekend, with the Lady Redhounds taking both meetings.

Tuesday they made it 3-0 against South Laurel this season with a 25-22, 25-22, 25-20 win.

“It didn’t really feel like a 3-0 win because they played so well,” Corbin coach Liberty Roberts said. ‘We played them this weekend and I didn’t want us to come in over-confident.”

South Laurel coach Fawn Greer, while acknowledging that her team also played well, felt like Corbin simply outhustled them.

“Our big thing is we don’t hustle a lot,” Greer said. “One person will shank a ball and the other people are just standing there waiting because they automatically assume they’re going to make the pass, so they’re not ready.”

It was a match that South Laurel stayed close in all three sets, but could never make that run to take control.

“We let down one or two points and couldn’t get out of the slump,” Greer said.

South Laurel led 3-2 in the first set before a kill by Chelsea Brock tied the match and gave the serve to Vanessa Wiseman. Five aces and a kill by Hannah Norris put Corbin up 8-3.

“Tonight I felt like Vanessa was really on, especially with her serves,” Roberts said.

Even though South kept within striking distance, it could never overcome Corbin and Wiseman. A couple of kills and a block of Taylor Arthur put the Lady Redhounds up, 16-12. A couple of more aces from Wiseman made it 19-12.

South would then reel off five straight points behind the serving of Kaylee Norvell (two aces) and Arthur getting a little bit of revenge by blocking Wiseman at the net, cutting the lead to 20-17.

An ace by Arthur, then Wiseman hitting a ball into the net, and South cut the lead to one, 21-20. But that would be as close as they would get, as Corbin took set No. 1, 25-22.

The Lady Cardinals came out quickly in the second set to take a 5-1 lead. Arthur and Wiseman continued their battle at the net, with Arthur again blocking the Corbin middle hitter during that run.

The two teams continued their battle with South holding the edge until Corbin took a 12-10 lead off a Allison Worthy kill.

Arthur would answer with a kill of her own, cutting the lead to one and giving the serve to Amy Cummins, who quickly served an ace to tie the match, 12-12.

Another ace, and a kill from Arthur off a Deaton set, pushed the lead to 15-12. South led 16-15 when Corbin got the serve back off a Wiseman kill. That would be the last lead the Lady Cardinals would enjoy.

The Lady Redhounds upped their lead to 23-17 before South started to chip away. Kills by C.J. Johnson, Alyson Croley, along with aces from Deaton cut the lead to 24-22. But Deaton’s next serve sailed long, and Corbin took the second set by the same 25-22 score.

The third set was like the first two, with both teams at times playing outstanding and at times struggling. South led 2-1 early before Corbin tied the set, 2-2. The Lady Cards would never lead again, though they stayed within a point or two until Corbin slowly started to pull away, pushing its lead to 14-9 before Arthur’s kill made it 14-10.

South then outscored Corbin, 4-1, to pull within one at 15-14. That lead would grow to 21-15 and Corbin looked ready to put the set and game away.

South would keep the set close, but Corbin held on for a 25-20 win.

“I think when we watch the video of this match we’ll see where we messed up and that will keep us positive,” Greer said.

“We still made some mistakes,” Roberts said. “But we are starting to mesh as a team. Especially with the passing of our libero, Brianna Shrout. Without her passing we wouldn’t be as strong.”

Greer said her team just needs to keep their heads up, especially late in matches.

“When we are tired we’ve got to keep on trucking’” Greer said.

The Lady Cardinals traveled to face Knox Central Thursday.

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