Strasburg holds off Eagles

View larger image Strasburg's Lauran Agnew tries to spike past Clarke County's Clara Thiel on Tuesday in Berryville. Dennis Grundman/Daily View larger image Clarke County's Clara Thiel tries to spike the ball past Strasburg's Jenna Smoot. Dennis Grundman/Daily View larger image Strasburg's Corissa Alsberry blocks a shot in front of Clarke County's Casey Canterbury. Dennis Grundman/Daily

By Greg Brill -- sports@nvdaily.com

BERRYVILLE -- The team that lost in five sets was sharing laughs with friends after the match.

The team that won was still in the locker room 10 minutes afterward, trying to figure out how what had been a waltz through district play for most of the season had suddenly become a drag-out affair.

For the second straight match, Strasburg's volleyball team avoided an upset, needing to pull out the final two sets for a 3-2 (19-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-17, 15-10) Bull Run District win at fired-up Clarke County on Tuesday night.

"I guess we already had in our heads that we were No. 1 and this [match] didn't count as much," Strasburg's Lauran Agnew said. "They just came out with a lot more intensity and were ready to win."

Playing her final regular season home match on Senior Night had Clarke County's Molly Keesling pumped. The undersized outside hitter rose up often to play well against the Rams, ripping a match-high 15 kills in the defeat.

"We definitely all showed a passion for this game," Keesling said. "It was our Senior Night and we didn't back down. We dug in the whole time. We wanted it, all of us did."

The Eagles, who were swept in the first meeting, had a lot to be happy about in the rematch. Clarke County showed improvement on the defensive end, covering the floor well and collecting digs off many hard-hit attacks by Strasburg. The Eagles even topped the Rams in an area of strength -- serving aces. Clarke County totaled 13, three more than Strasburg.

The prematch warmups could not have given Strasburg coach Suzanne Mathias cause for concern, with her players exchanging cheers and hand slaps as they returned to a warmup line along the baseline. But once the match started, the Rams slumped.

Clarke County came out with the attacks well, trading point for point until Keesling sliced a kill by Jenna Smoot's block to kick-start a 7-3 run that helped the Eagles gain early momentum. A red flag might have come up for the Rams when they had as many attack errors (nine) as kills in the set.

The Eagles had a three-point lead midway through the second set before the Rams got it together late to even the match. Still, Clarke County continued to put up a good fight and scrambled back to take the third set and a one-set lead in the match. Keesling had four kills and Chelsea Nelson three in the set as excitement continued to build for Clarke County and gloom for Strasburg.

After Mathias used a timeout following senior Amy Hagerdon's kill that gave Clarke County a 20-17 lead in the third set, Keesling notched back-to-back kills for a five-point lead. To finish off the set, Amelia Eyles got a kill and Casey Canterbury an ace.

As it turned out, the ace by Canterbury for point 25 in the third set would represent the last time the Eagles held a lead in the match. Strasburg got back to more consistent play in the fourth set to tie the match at two sets apiece, then strong service runs by Agnew and Jaclyn Ayers in the fifth set allowed the Rams to escape.

Strasburg won the flip to serve first in the fifth set and Agnew worked quick for a 4-0 lead. The junior had one ace, and Ayers' kill gave the Rams their four-point advantage.

"When I was serving, all I kept thinking was 'Keep going, keep going fast, get them off-[stride],'" Agnew said. "When I was going fast, they were having trouble and shanking balls."

The Eagles got within one off an Eyles block, but two Eagles bumped each other on another block attempt, leading to an error and sideout. From there, Ayers had the next prolonged service run to clinch it for Strasburg. The senior reeled off six straight service points, and Agnew and Stephanie Conde each had two kills as the Rams opened a 13-5 lead.

Clarke got back to 14-10, forcing Mathias to use another rare timeout, before Conde ended the match with a cross-court kill hit off the near side.

Though the win was her team's 19th straight after a season-opening loss back in August to Group AA (and Northwestern District regular-season champion) Sherando, Mathias hopes her team will learn from another close call. The Rams also needed five sets at home last Thursday to dispatch Madison County.

"We didn't play to our potential," Mathias said. "I know that I've got a few [players] that are having some issues and hopefully they get those worked out and go back to being a team.

"They've got to go out and give 110 percent, because nothing is a given. At this point, you've got to be playing your best ball. I feel we've regressed a step and we need to get that step back before next Thursday."

The Rams (19-1, 10-0) will be the top seed in the Bull Run tournament and face either Rappahannock County or George Mason at home Nov. 5 in the semifinal round.

Smoot had a team-best 12 kills to go with five solo blocks and an assisted block for Strasburg. Agnew added four aces, 10 kills and 20 assists, Ayers had nine kills and 22 assists, and Conde had eight kills.

If Madison County defeats Rappahannock in its final match and Clarke County (11-8, 6-3) wins at George Mason on Thursday to close out its regular-season schedule, both teams would finish in a tie for second place. However, the Eagles will be seeded second and receive a bye, thanks to Clarke County athletic director Casey Childs winning a coin-flip for the second seed in the tournament. The Eagles would then face the Madison County/Manassas Park winner in the semifinal round next Thursday.

Clarke County coach Mary Brune enjoyed seeing her team compete well on Tuesday, especially after the Eagles had only six of their 12 players available for a weekend practice due to the flu.

"If we play like this all the time, I'll be happy, because that's what they're capable of," Brune said. "We just never caught up in the fifth [set]."

Besides Keesling, senior Leslie Ray Conner had 23 assists, Hagerdon had eight kills, and Nelson had nine kills.