Elmore County swept Dallas County 25-18, 25-20, 25-23 Tuesday night to win a hard fought volleyball match in a key Class 4A, Region 6 matchup.

Although the Panthers won the match 3-0, it was very competitive, with oustanding defense setting up long volleys that resulted in both teams diving to the floor.

Dallas County head coach Linda Moore certainly noticed her team’s effort in the loss.

“I told them to pick themselves up,” Moore said. “They played a really good game. Elmore County is a really good team. They should be proud of themselves.”

Moore said that playing a team like Elmore County as well as the Hornets did says a lot about her team.

“That just lets us know we are a good team also,” Moore said. “We just have to keep working hard.”

The Panthers jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the first set before Dallas County’s Amy Persinger served the Hornets to four consecutive points to make the score 13-12 Elmore County. The Panthers took the lead again quickly, but the Hornets managed to tie the score at 18-18.

From there, the set was all Panthers. A Dallas County serve into the net gave Elmore County the lead, which was all the Panthers’ Kenya Brown needed. Brown picked up the next six Panthers points on serves, with some help from her teammates’ tremendous defense.

The second set was also competitive, but Elmore County seemed to have control throughout.

An early 8-8 tie quickly became a 19-11 Panthers lead. Dallas County continued fighting, bringing the score to 21-18 before watching the Panthers’ Dianna Geddie’s kill finish off a game that saw Elmore County win four of the last six points.

Both teams seemed to save their best for last, because the final set was the most competitive of the night.

Dallas County jumped to a 6-1 lead, but the Panthers fought back by winning ten of the next 15 points to even the game at 15-15. The set was again all-square at 22-22 before Elmore County rattled off the next three points to finish off the set and sweep the match.

“Elmore County just outplayed us,” Moore said about the final set. “We didn’t give up. They just kept working.”

Looking forward, Moore said her team won’t dwell on this loss for very long.

“We have had a wonderful season,” Moore said. “We are looking forward to getting ready for the area tournament, which as of tonight will be held at Elmore County. We are just going to work for the area tournament and see how that goes.”

Dallas County’s next game is home against Childersburg Thursday, Oct. 10. Tuesday night’s game was the first of five consecutive home games to end the regular season for the Hornets.