WHAT A GAME: Pulaski drops instant classic to Corbin

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County sophomore Olivia Travis (11) attempts to get a kill past the blocks of Corbin eighth grader Annabelle Griffin (12) and senior Ava Maguet (23) during the Maroons' 3-2 loss to the Redhounds on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

SOMERSET- The Pulaski County Lady Maroons. The Corbin Lady Redhounds. If you are looking in terms of RPI, these two teams are some of the finest that the 12th and 13th Regions have to offer. With both teams coming off uneven performances over the weekend in Whitley County, fans inside the Pulaski Gymnasium, affectionately known as "The Big House," were in for one heck of a volleyball match.

Fans got their money worth and then some, as the two teams collided and traded momentum over a five-set thriller that concluded with a Corbin 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 25-27, 16-14) victory in an instant classic thanks to an insanely efficient performance by Lady Redhound senior Caroline Combs.

Corbin took the early lead in the first set following kills from Combs and Laura Newcomb and an ace from Shelbi Carroll. Ella Lancaster added an early kill for the Maroons, but with the Redhounds up 9-4, head coach McKenzie McCollum was forced to call for the timeout. That timeout allowed the Maroons to slowly get focused in this one and after some solid kills from McKenzie Strunk, Olivia Travis and Ava King, plus two straight aces from Strunk, the Redhounds soon found themselves calling timeout now only up by one point at 14-13.

Pulaski finally took the lead back at 16-15 following kills from Jasper Tingle and King. A kill from Lancaster following a very long rally between the two teams gave the home team a 20-17 advantage late in the set. The Maroons soon were in the danger zone following a block from Annabelle Griffin, giving the Redhounds a 23-21 lead and forcing a PC timeout. Although Lancaster managed to grab a kill after the break, Corbin still had too big of a lead and won the first set 25-22 after a set-winning kill from Carroll.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Corbin senior Caroline Combs (18) prepares to spike the ball past Pulaski County seniors Ava King (31) and McKenzie Strunk (right) during the Redhounds' victory over the Maroons on Monday.

Sammie Blevins earned the first kill of the second set, immediately followed by a kill from Newcomb. This set, however, it was the Maroons taking an early advantage after kills from Lancaster, Tingle and Becca DeBord. A run of kills from Carroll and Brook Mills later though, and Corbin held a 12-9 lead, forcing a timeout by Pulaski. Whatever was said in the timeout must have worked, with blocks coming from Tingle and King on a 5-0 spree by the Maroons, forcing the Redhounds to follow suit with their own timeout.

The Maroons kept pushing ahead with a kill from King and an ace from Travis, forcing Corbin to spend their second timeout down 18-14. Combs and Carroll led Corbin on a comeback attempt, with Pulaski forced to call timeout to stop their momentum. That turned out to be a momentum-stopper, with two straight attacking errors giving Pulaski the second set 25-21.

Pulaski called a timeout down 7-4 early in the third set, with that proving to be a wise choice by coach McCollum. Kills from Lancaster and DeBord, as well as a perfectly-placed ace by King, brought the Maroons within one point towards the middle of the set, before a run of great hitting by Combs put her team up 17-12, forcing a second timeout of the set for the Lady Maroons.

Corbin continued their solid hitting and found themselves up massively towards the end of the set 22-13. Everything looked to be doom and gloom for the Maroons, but a series of errors by the Redhounds and two aces from Brooklyn York later, and Pulaski was right back in the thick of things 23-19. However, Ava Maguet and Mills went back-to-back on kills to soon hand Corbin the third set 25-19, putting the visitors just one set away from the victory.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County sophomore Olivia Travis (left) and senior Ava King (right) dive on the court in an effort to save the ball during the Maroons' contest against Corbin on Monday evening.

It was all 'Hounds early on in the fourth set, with fantastic play from Combs and Newcomb looming large over a 9-4 lead for Corbin and forcing a quick timeout once again by the Maroons. It seemed like Corbin was running away with the game before a kill from Lancaster and two straight aces from Jasmine Correll brought Pulaski within two points at 11-9, forcing the Redhounds to spend their first timeout of the set.

The hitting of Corbin, particularly Combs and Mills, kept confusing the home team and despite leading late, a run of points that included kills from Lancaster and DeBord, plus a few aces from King, the Maroons went on an improbable 9-2 run to take a 21-19 lead in the set. Combs brought the Redhounds within one point after some insane digs by Travis and Emma Moody on the Pulaski side. An ace from Maguet tied things at 24-24, meaning the first team to go up by two would take the win. A kill from King put Pulaski up one soon after, and an attacking error called on the visitors sealed the deal and forced a fifth set as the Maroons prevailed in the fourth 27-25.

The fanbase of the Maroons were ecstatic when Blevins and King went back-to-back on kills to give the home team an early 2-0 lead in the fifth. That lead did not last long though, as following a kill from Newcomb and two straight aces from Carroll, the Redhounds were on top 4-3. Kills from DeBord and King plus two attacking errors gave the Maroons four straight points though and all the momentum in the world.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County senior Ava King (31) and junior Sammie Blevins (right) attempt to block a hit from Corbin eighth grader Shelbi Carroll (10) during the game between the Lady Maroons and the Lady Redhounds on Monday.

A kill from Lancaster put Pulaski just five points away from victory at 10-8 and forced a timeout from the visitors. Two straight aces from Elin Curry flipped the script and now the 'Hounds held a 13-12 lead, forcing coach McCollum to call for the timeout. A lift call put Corbin on match point, before King pulled a Lee Corso and said "Not so fast my friend," earning a kill to tie the set up at 14-14. It truly looked like it could go either way here, but after a service error on the Maroon serve, Combs closed the book on a truly classic game with a kill, handing the Lady Redhounds a hard-fought 3-2 win with a 16-14 fifth set victory. You cannot take anything away from these Lady Maroons however, as they fought until the absolute end and showed they can hang with some of the absolute best teams in this part of the state.

Pulaski falls to 15-8 for the season and will be back in action for a rare Friday home game as they will take on Somerset Christian in a crosstown rivalry match, with first serve scheduled tentatively for 6:30 p.m.

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