Wildcats Best Pioneers in Home Opener

Wildcats Best Pioneers in Home Opener-Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 9/14/24

Paragould, Ark.- CRC Volleyball hosted Bethel University this afternoon in their 2024 season home opener. After three sets, the Lady Wildcats would emerge victorious dropping the Lady Pioneers to 1-2 on the year. Sets went as follows (19-25 BU), (17-25 BU), and (15-25 BU). 

With a good turnout for the Lady Pioneers' first home game of the season, CRC gave the fans a show as they battled hard with the (8-2) Lady Wildcats in the opening set. CRC reclaimed the lead on two occasions from the Wildcats with Jillian Glasgow finding the hardwood landing a service ace giving CRC an 8-7 point lead and then again later in the set with senior Hannah Halverson lacing a two-point rally together from behind the service line to lift CRC ahead 16-15. Regretfully, this would be the last CRC lead as Bethel summoned a late 5-0 run to do the damage necessary that even a CRC regrouping timeout couldn't stop.  Set two played out almost exactly like the opening set with senior Paige Glenn being the mindset catalyst for CRC with the Paragould native rattling off two crucial kills to reclaim the lead 9-8; But almost like a replay, Bethel mustered another late set run which forced CRC to stop the clock again as they trailed Bethel by five points, 17-23.  When play resumed the Lady Wildcats allowed no recovery and ended the second set by winning the next two points. Now behind two sets to none, CRC pushed big early on to match Bethel's offense with Glasgow and Brooklyn Cross going back-to-back with kills evening the score 5-5. Still, with Bethel's offense manufacturing two big runs this set and the Lady Pioneers' tank running on empty, CRC succumbed to their wounds, falling in the final set allowing Bethel the sweep.

Freshman Alyssa Dirden led the Pioneers with 8 kills, sophomore Jillian Glasgow led in assists with 14, and freshman Madelyn Burris led in defensively with a career-high 18 digs. Senior Hannah Halverson also added 15 digs in the loss while senior Paige Glenn had 2 blocks.

Up Next: CRC will travel to Lyon College on Tuesday, September 17th to take on the NCAA DIII Lady Scots. #GOPIONEERS