Harlan County locked up the second seed and set up a probable rematch in the 52nd District Tournament next month with a 25-1025-13, 25-13 win Tuesday over visiting Harlan.
The Lady Bears improved to 13-6 overall and closed their district slate at 4-2. Harlan fell to 1-16 with its 15th straight loss but will take the third seed with a second victory over Middlesboro on Oct. 10 on the road.
HCHS coasted to a win in the first set but found themselves locked in a 10-10 in the second before the Lady Bears reeled off six straight points with Ashton Evans serving. Kalista Dunn and Destiny Cornett took over around the net at that point with Savannah Hill setting during a 15-3 run to close the set, which ended with a Lesleigh Brown ace.
Both teams struggled with unforced errors in the third set, but Harlan County slowly pulled away with Dunn and Kylee Hoiska again leading the way around the net.
Hill set up most of the points on the night with 23 of 27 assists, along with seven digs, four aces and two kills. Dunn added five kills with six digs and three assists. Hoiska chipped in with eight kills, five aces and one dig. Evans had three aces, eight kills and five digs. Cornett added four kills, four digs and one assist. Brown had six aces. Rileigh Duff added one kill and one dig.
No statistics were available for Harlan.
Harlan County won 21-14, 21-10 in junior varsity action.
The Lady Bears return to action Thursday at Pineville. The Lady Dragons travel to Lynn Camp on Thursday.
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Harlan County lost 25-21, 23-25, 25-15 and 25-19 on Monday at Leslie County.
The Lady Bears split four matches at the First Priority Lady Colonels Volleyball Classic. HCHS defeated Leslie County 23-25, 25-15, 15-11 and Prestonsburg 25-14, 25-25, 15-13 and lost to Rockcastle County 25-17. 25-14 and Cumberland Homeschool.
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Harlan fell 25-4, 25-6, 25-13 on Saturday at Hazard.
Halle Cox led the Lady Dragons with six digs. Taylor Hall added five. Kendyll Blanton and Mallory McNiel had four each. Tess Bryson added three. Kenzie Shepherd, Raegan Goodman, Shelby Doan and Trinity Jones chipped in with two each. Hall and Blanton each had one assist. Goodman and Jones added one kill each.