SOUTH DEERFIELD — Frontier Regional senior Lauren Davenport tried to roll the volleyball back to Ludlow after an Olivia Deane ace.
It was a minor lapse in concentration during a long serving run. Frontier coach Sean MacDonald had to remind her, “If you get an ace, you get to serve again.”
Frontier piled on the aces Tuesday, beating Ludlow 3-0. The Red Hawks tallied 19 aces in the 25-11, 25-14, 25-14 victory.
“It makes the whole game so much easier,” MacDonald said. “If we’re serving well, hopefully we can control the ball easier and set up whatever we want.”
Deane led Frontier with eight aces. Six came during an eight-point span in the first set. She picked up a kill to end Ludlow’s serve then dropped in three straight aces.
“I’m in a really chill mindset,” Deane said. “I don’t think of anything and I focus on putting the ball in the court.”
Ludlow had an attack error on the next point, and Deane followed with there more aces.
“She’s got a higher contact point, it’s flat, it’s coming at you quick,” MacDonald said. “It’s got some movement on it.”
Frontier (6-0) started the run up 15-11 and finished leading 23-11 before a Ludlow kill forced Deane off the line. The first set ended soon after, and the Red Hawks pressed their advantage from the service line for the rest of the short match.
Olivia Rosewarne added four aces, while Elizabeth Fuqua had two. Frontier only committed 10 service errors in 72 attempts.
“We serve and pass in multiple drills and activities in practice,” MacDonald said. “These guys are taught from seventh grade that serving is a big deal.”
During games, assistant coach Courtney Parent directs the Red Hawks where to serve. They have the court divided into zones, and she tells them whether to serve at players in certain areas or on the lines between areas.
“We talk a little bit during the game, but I pretty much let her do it,” MacDonald said. “I’m looking at my side of the net a lot, and she’s looking at that side of the net.”
Parent played a cat-and-mouse game with Ludlow’s receivers. She alternated serving short and long with enough of an irregular rhythm that the Lions (2-3) couldn’t handle it.
“It gets us in a rhythm where we’re flowing, we’re feeling pretty good,” Parent said. “If it comes back, we’re ready for it.”
When it came back, Davenport and Ashley Telega finished the job. They each had nine kills. Deane finished with five.
Fuqua had 12 assists, while Rosewarne added 10. Libero Reily Isler made seven digs.
Frontier plays three out of its next four games on the road. The Red Hawks are at West Springfield on Thursday at 6:15 p.m. before trips to Longmeadow and Melrose sandwich a home match against Amherst on Sept. 25.