A giant fan in the corner of a sweltering Lansdowne High gymnasium wasn't enough to cool off the scorching serves of visiting Catonsville as the Comets set the tone in a three-game sweep of the hosts with nine aces in the first game.
Three aces each from Kim Gregory and Natalie Bockmiller, two from Lauren Bennett, and one from Heather Kendrick, led the way in the opening game of a 25-12, 25-7, 25-21 victory Wednesday evening.
The loss was the first for the Vikings (3-1), who had beaten Owings Mills, Woodlawn and Sparrows Point.
The triumph was the first for Catonsville (1-3), which fell to defending Class 3A state champion Towson, defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference champion Mount de Sales and Atholton.
"The first three games we played were really tough," said Catonsville senior co-captain Becca Pierce. "This was a good game to get a win."
Pierce was the dominant defensive player of the match, but she was most satisfied with the way the whole team jelled.
"It just showed we have the capability to win and we can really pull it all together," said the libero. "We showed a lot of teamwork, communication and fundamentals and were able to pass, set and get the ball over."
Setter Gregory spread the wealth in the first game, feeding Natalie Bockmiller for a pair of kills and Erin Davis and Danielle Francy for one each, while getting two late dumps for kills herself.
Lansdowne, playing without senior setter Maude McCourry, got solid play from junior setter Channan Neville and five first-game kills from senior Brianna Morris.
"We are really good friends so we know when we are ready," said Neville, of teammate Morris.
In the second game, Catonsville junior Francy didn't make any friends on the Vikings' side of the court, with back-to-back blocks in the middle that started a 7-0 run and turned a 7-4 lead into a 14-4 bulge for coach Amanda Kaufman's squad.
Francy added three kills in the second game. Davis, Bockmiller, Bennett, Gregory, Pierce and Blair Stevens had one each.
Aggressive defense from juniors Nicole Wheeler and Neville and timely kills from Angela Johnson and Wheeler help the Vikings hang tough and pull within two, 22-20, late in the third game, but a diving save by Pierce led to a Comet point that turned the tide.
A roof at the net and ensuing kill from Bockmiller sealed the match.
The close final game left Lansdowne coach Jamie Izdebski with a good feeling walking away from the match.
"They were diving on the floor and just hustling their butts off and what more can you ask for." Izdebski said. "I was very proud of the way they played tonight."