Royal storms past Kiona-Benton

Lady Knights in third place

ROYAL CITY - The Royal Lady Knights volleyball team overcame a slow start Tuesday night to defeat the visiting Kiona-Benton Lady Bears in four games on senior night.

With the South Central Athletic Conference (SCAC) East Division victory, the Lady Knights sit in third place.

Kiona-Benton got off to a hot start as they jumped out to an early 5-0 lead over the Lady Knights in the first game of the match.

Royal would not be denied at home as the Lady Knights would rally to tie the match at 7-7.

Royal's run was short lived as Kiona-Benton went on a 6-0 run to distance themselves from Royal with a 13-7 lead.

With emotions from senior night running through the Royal team, the Lady Knights rallied again to pull even with the Lady Bears at 15-15 midway through the game.

Kiona-Benton could not hold off the Royal attack as the Lady Knights worked their way to a 24-23 lead late in game one.

Royal held a one-point advantage and junior Caitlin Paysse would earn her team the win when she spiked the ball to the floor for a 25-23 victory.

After dropping the first game to the hometown Lady Knights, Kiona-Benton pulled together in the second game of the match and raced out to a 9-0 lead early.

Royal would close the gap late but would never pull within four points of Kiona-Benton as the Lady Bears tied the match with a 25-19 victory in game two.

After the league rivals split the first two games of the match, Royal would take over during the match's third game.

While both teams played tight to a 3-3 tie early, the Lady Knights stormed out to a 10-4 lead.

Kiona-Benton would not close the gap in game three as Royal dominated at the net to take a 23-15 lead late in the game.

The Lady Bears pulled within 24-16 of Royal before Paysse took over again, this time at the end of game three.

With the Lady Knights playing for game point, Paysse again spiked the ball to the Kiona-Benton side of the court as Royal took the third game 25-16.

The fourth game began much like the third game with both teams playing close before Royal took a 10-4 lead.

The Lady Knights would build a 13-7 lead halfway through the fourth game before the Lady Bears rallied to score five unanswered points as Kiona-Benton pulled within one point of Royal at 13-12.

The Lady Bears and the Lady Knights exchanged points late as both teams continued to rally toward a 19-19 tie.

With sentiments of senior night running through the Royal gym, the Lady Knights took a 22-19 lead. Kiona-Benton would close the gap to 24-22 before the Lady Knights scored the final point of the night to knock off Kiona-Benton at home.

Royal head coach Ashley Roberts said she was pleased with how her team finished its home schedule.

"It was a good finish to the season," she said. "A win is a win, you take it anyway they come."

Royal High School celebrated the careers of Lady Knights seniors Janae Anderson and Olivia Christensen prior to the match for senior night.

Anderson and Christensen are the only seniors on Royal's roster this season.

Roberts said she was happy her team could send its seniors off with a victory.

"Senior nights are always emotional," she said. "I'm glad we could finish the season off with a win."

With the victory, the Lady Knights sit in third place in the SCAC East Division and will play the second place team from the West Division next Tuesday.

Roberts does not know who her team's opponent will be, but she said she is proud of how her team's season has progressed.

"I think we did very well," she said. "I think we did a lot better than last year and that is all you can ask for."

Paysse led the Royal attack Tuesday night finishing with a team-leading 15 kills. Paysse also recorded four blocks and junior Page Woodward added 13 kills in the victory.

Christensen finished the night with seven kills and led the Royal defense with six blocks.

Anderson set up her team's offense with 18 assists Tuesday night.