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Birthday girl seals Lecanto win

The Panthers, down 8-3 in the third game, rally past Crystal River.

By KRISTEN LEIGH PORTER
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 10, 2002

LECANTO -- Although she celebrated her 18th birthday Monday, it was Amanda Whitelaw who gave her team a present instead. The Lecanto senior pounded the winning kill in a 15-8, 15-17, 15-13 win over Crystal River.

After the match, the Panthers sang "Happy Birthday" to the 5-foot-3 outside hitter and feasted on birthday cake.

"It was the perfect set and the perfect opportunity for the game-winning point," said Whitelaw, who had all three of her kills in the deciding game.

Lecanto needed a spark to come back from an 8-3 deficit after Crystal River middle hitter Jennifer MacRae put down two overpasses. The Panthers scored eight unanswered points to pull ahead 11-8, the majority coming when MacRae was in the back row.

The game was tied at 13 when a Crystal River hitting error and Whitelaw's kill gave the Panthers the match.

MacRae had put away the second game for Crystal River after teammate Alisa Tisdale's ace.The 6-1 junior had 10 kills and three aces in the match.

"We had some pretty decent digs," said Lecanto coach Karen Dickson. "We need to try to stop (MacRae) in the middle and maybe try to triple-block her."

Lecanto's Heather Pontius had eight kills, and Nicole Maltese, Lisa Carter and Lindsey Dunn also contributed offensively.

MacRae said the previous two teams Crystal River had faced did not hit as hard as the Panthers.

"We have to work on rotating for the block. There were a lot of people not in position, we should have had a lot more balls and a lot more points," MacRae said.

In the first game, Lecanto led 12-8 when Nicole Maltese rang up back-to-back aces to bring it to game point. The Panthers took the match on Crystal River's fifth hitting error.

The Panthers had 11 aces on the night. The Pirates got eight free points from behind the service line, including three aces by Shana Lockley.

Crystal River coach Trudee Lightbody said that although her team made its share of mistakes, the Pirates did a good job.

"I was a little disappointed in the first game especially, it was like we were not even out there, but the second game we picked it up and looked better," Lightbody said.

"You get out to an 8-3 lead (in the third game) and think, "Yeah, we've got this one,' and then to watch them take the lead was disappointing."

Both teams are back in action tonight. Crystal River hosts Citrus and Lecanto welcomes Ocala Vanguard.

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