Telegraph Staff Writer
Visiting Columbia recorded nine service aces in the fourth set en route to defeating the Bradford High School volleyball team 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 17-25, 25-19) on Sept. 8.
The Tornadoes (1-3) were coming off their first win of the season and seemed to have some momentum after a third-set win. Columbia, though, scored the first five points of the fourth set and never relinquished its lead.
Bradford took the early lead in the first set, scoring the first three points with Takeirra Bakken serving. They then scored three straight points with Kencie Wainwright serving to go up 7-2.
The Tigers used an 8-0 run to take the lead, which they held the rest of the set. It was close throughout, though. Arnayshia Griffin helped the Tornadoes’ cause with a couple of kills, while Reagan Harris had a kill as well.
Columbia led 11-8 in the second set before the Tornadoes scored six straight points with Harris serving. Griffin had two kills and a block during that span.
The Tigers would retake the lead, but Bradford stayed close, thanks to three kills by Ajiyah Jackson. Bradford then tied it up at 20-20, scoring two points with Rylie Blankenship serving, but kills by Columbia’s Autumn Jones and Sinei Wood, along with several attack errors, helped the Tigers close out the set with a win.
Bradford scored the first five points of the third set with Bakken serving, while kills by Harris, Jackson and Brooklynn Reddish helped the Tornadoes keep their lead. The Tornadoes led 21-17 when they scored four straight points with Reddish serving to earn the win. Reddish had an ace during that span.
Jackson and Reddish each had two kills during the fourth set, with Jackson also recording a block, but the Tornadoes couldn’t overcome Columbia’s fast start.
Bradford opened the season with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-20) loss at Union County on Aug. 23, followed by a 3-2 (25-14, 26-24, 14-25, 18-25, 15-12) loss at Baldwin on Aug. 25.
The Tornadoes hosted Baldwin on Sept. 6, winning 3-1 (26-24, 25-16, 26-28, 27-25).
