WHITEHOUSE -- After a sluggish start, Whitehouse stormed back behind 40 assists from Ronnie Fountain to beat Pleasant Grove 17-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-18 on Tuesday night at Wildcat Arena.

Front-line players Ashton Ates, Kaitlyn Anderson, Megan Harris, and Kelly Keller gained momentum in the LadyCats' attack as the match progressed. Fountain consistently set them up for kills, resulting in 10 from Ates and eight apiece from Anderson, Harris, and Keller.

Whitehouse's Amanda Dimon (left) and Kelly Keller converge on the ball during Tuesday night's 3-1 win against Pleasant Grove at Whitehouse's Wildcat Arena. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Whitehouse's Amanda Dimon (left) and Kelly Keller converge on the ball during Tuesday night's 3-1 win against Pleasant Grove at Whitehouse's Wildcat Arena. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
loading...

"We just had to realize that we needed to pick it up, and if we didn't pick it up we weren't going to pull it out," said Whitehouse defensive specialist Amanda Dimon, who led the LadyCats with 17 digs. "The first game we were individually playing, and the last couple of games we pulled together and played as a team."

Ates had four kills and one block during Whitehouse's Game 2 win that tied the match 1-1.

Anderson, who had a team-high three blocks, delivered down the stretch of Game 3. With Whitehouse (11-9) trailing 22-17 and facing a 2-1 match deficit, Anderson recorded three kills, while Lindsey Hannah added one kill and one block during an 8-0 run to end the set and give the LadyCats the advantage.

Harris and Keller combined for seven kills and one block in the match-ending Game 4 victory.

Aubrey Ashby led Pleasant Grove with nine kills. Teammate Alexis Shelton had eight kills and one block. Pleasant Grove setter Kaitlyn Davis had 20 assists. Whitehouse's Hannah finished the match with four kills and a block, while Delaney Melrose added three kills.

Pleasant Grove's Kaitlyn Davis sets the ball during a 3-1 loss at Whitehouse on Tuesday night at Wildcat Arena. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Pleasant Grove's Kaitlyn Davis sets the ball during a 3-1 loss at Whitehouse on Tuesday night at Wildcat Arena. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
loading...

Pleasant Grove gained a 1-0 match edge thanks to three different 4-0 runs. The first put the Lady Hawks ahead 13-10, the second pushed their lead to 17-11, and the third ended the match, 25-17. Ashby had four kills in that first game, while Davis dished out seven assists.

Less than 2 1/2 weeks from the Sept. 27 District 14-4A opener at Corsicana, Dimon said the LadyCats have room for improvement, but she likes the direction they're headed.

"I feel like it can get better," she said. "I feel like the intensity's not really there, but it'll get better as the season goes."

Whitehouse visits Rusk at 5:30 p.m. Friday before traveling to Pine Tree for a 7 p.m. match Tuesday.

Pleasant Grove's Brooke Smith digs the ball during Tuesday night's 3-1 loss at Whitehouse. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Pleasant Grove's Brooke Smith digs the ball during Tuesday night's 3-1 loss at Whitehouse. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
loading...

---

Whitehouse def. Pleasant Grove

17-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-18

 

Pleasant Grove
  • Audrey Ashby: 9 kills
  • Alexis Shelton: 8 kills, 1 block
  • Kaitlyn Davis: 1 kill, 20 assists
  • Catherine Burgess: 3 kills
  • Hayley Harp: 2 kills, 1 block
  • Brett Wacha: 1 kill, 2 blocks
  • Ashlyn Ferguson: 1 kill, 1 block

 

Whitehouse (11-9)
  • Ronnie Fountain: 1 kill, 1 block, 40 assists
  • Ashton Ates: 10 kills, 1 block, 2 aces
  • Kaitlyn Anderson: 8 kills, 3 blocks
  • Kelly Keller: 8 kills, 1 block
  • Megan Harris: 8 kills
  • Amanda Dimon: 17 digs
  • Lindsey Hannah: 4 kills, 1 block
  • Delaney Melrose: 3 kills
  • Diana Dimon: 1 ace

 

More From East Texas Sports Network