RUSTON, La. — The ovation in the gym was loud Thursday night.
That’s because Junior Lady Bearcat Ava Crowe made her first appearance on the floor early in the first set for the Ruston Bearcats (12-10) after rehabbing an offseason injury. Despite her return, Ruston would fall in four sets 25-23, 22-25, 23-25 and 12-25.
“How about Ava Crowe?” Ruston Head Coach Mandy Cauley said. “It was great to have her back on the court tonight. The girls rallied well and then dug a hole we couldn’t climb out of in set 4. I thought we certainly had some great moments but overall we need to gain consistency.”
Right after junior Jane Ramsey slammed a kill to put the Lady Bearcats up 2-1 in the first set, Crowe subbed onto the floor to take the court, and helped Ruston get to a 6-4 lead in the first. Shortly after, Ruston would start a 5-0 run to take a 14-11 lead, which was aided in large part by sophomore Baylor Cauley getting a key dig on a point while on the floor to extend the run. The set would go back and forth for the rest of the way, but Ruston would hold on despite a late 4-0 run by Benton to win 25-23.
The Tigers would get set two after the Lady Bearcats fell behind 8-4 early in the stanza. Following a Ruston timeout, the Lady Bearcats outscored the Tigers 7-3 to tie the set 11-11. A few points later, Crowe added a kill to give the Lady Bearcats the first lead in the set 14-13. Crowe again had a big kill to put Ruston up 19-16, but a late surge by Benton gave the Tigers the set 25-22.
Ruston would fall behind again 8-4 in set three. After a timeout a few points later, Ruston would eventually tie the set 14-14 and even take a late lead after a block by Cauley and Ramsey and then a Cauley kill for a 21-20 lead, The Tigers would rally, however, and get the set win 25-23.
In the fourth, Benton took the set 25-12 for the match victory.
Unofficially, Cauley led the team with 11 kills on the night. Sophomore Bridget Crittenden added eight.
The Lady Bearcats are scheduled to host a multi-team event this weekend with Parkview Baptist, Central, Fountainbleu and Byrd all making the trip to Ruston.
