CHS volleyball sweeps Baldwin

Though not the team’s sharpest, or most exciting effort of the season, the Chiefland High School varsity volleyball team defeated district rival Baldwin 3-0 (25-14), (25-20), (25-10) in the two teams’ game Sept. 18.
Chiefland had to wait over 30 minutes past the scheduled game time for the bus bringing the Baldwin players to complete the over three-hour ride from Duval County. Chiefland head coach Tammy Arrington said that her team, which had warmed up earlier, was thrown off its rhythm by the long delay. Facing a team with significantly less talent also posed problems.
“You only play as hard as you have to. That’s human nature.” Arrington said. “I wish they would have taken the game a little more seriously.”
After a thrilling 3-2 loss to Newberry the week before, Chiefland didn’t bring the same intensity against a less-talented Baldwin squad. The Indians did finish the thrid set with one of its best runs, winning the final six points, capped off by back-to-back spikes from Kira Telgen. Chiefland had gone up 14-2 earlier in the set, taking advantage of several Baldwin miscues early. If not for a 6-0 run late in the set the score would have been even more one-sided.
Baldwin looked as if it  might capture the second set, bringing the score to as close as 23-20. But two errors derailed the visiting Indians and Chiefland escaped with the sloppy second-set win.
Chiefland seemed to have control of the second set following a 6-0 run that put them up 20-11. But Baldwin fought back, forcing Chiefland to call a time out at 23-19.
Baldwin, despite its late arrival, actually jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set. They held a 7-3 lead before a 5-0 run put Chiefland back on top. After the two teams were tied at eight, Chiefland began pulling away, never trailing again in the set. Baldwin would hold its last lead of the game at 5-4 in the second set.
CHS returns to district play today at Union County. Following games Oct. 4 against Newberry and Oct. 11 at Dixie County, the Indians will complete its district slate of games. The Indians are hoping for the best possible seed in a tightly contested district 1A-7. The tournament begins in Newberry on Oct. 22.