Class 5A Sheridan was too much for Class 2A Cutter Morning Star, but the Lady Eagles made the Lady Yellowjackets battle to earn the 3-0 win at Cutter Morning Star's multi-use facility.
"I think Cutter is much improved, and I think we've got a lot of work to do," said Sheridan head coach Emily Grimmett. "I don't feel like our chemistry is there yet. We have a lot of players who have never played varsity before, so it's a lack of experience on our part and a lack of confidence, I feel like."
CMS head coach Brittany Senn said she was impressed with her team's performance as well.
"It was 100 percent better than the Hot Springs game," she said. "We came in after the Hot Springs game and watched film, broke it down and we noted the things that we needed to work on as far as our passing, our serving and defensive adjustments. I thought overall those were much better."
Sheridan took a 7-2 lead early in the first set, but the Lady Eagles battled back to pull within 24-20 before the Lady Yellowjackets broke serve to claim the set, 25-20.
Cutter Morning Star fought in the second set after falling behind 11-3, but the team managed to only pull within six as Sheridan rallied to claim the win, 25-16.
The Lady Eagles took a 4-2 lead in the final set, keeping the score close until Sheridan made several late runs to claim the 25-18 win and the match.
Haley Scott paced the Lady Eagles with 27 assists on the night along with 10 digs, and libero Madison Bellomy dominated the back line with 17 digs of her own to lead all players. Kendyll Knott-Debord led the team with three blocks, and McKenna Knott-Debord led the team with five kills.
"She's going to be our main setter," Senn said of Scott. "She's got very good hands, and I've said before, she's volleyball savvy. I really, really like her. She's a key part of this team here.
Senn also noted the back-row performance of Bellomy.
"She's got enough heart for probably the whole team," she said. "She takes coaching very well. In the Hot Springs game, she had some reception errors. She took that note in practice, and she really worked hard tonight in being in her stance and making good passes. She works very, very hard. She's kind of the heart of the team."
Bailee Bibb paced the Lady Yellowjackets with nine kills, and Lauren McGinley had seven.
"She's got a heck of a swing," Grimmett said of Bibb. "She's been nursing a shoulder injury, also. When she gets the set she wants and gets a good cut on it, it's hard to block it."
Kami Hogue led Sheridan with 14 digs, and Bailee Hall had 11.
"We have some good hitters," Grimmett said. "We just aren't steady back-row yet. I have some people on the bench that could probably come in and play for some of those on back-row, but again it's lack of experience -- sophomores versus people who have been here and know the system."
- Sheridan dominated the junior varsity match, winning in two sets.
Sheridan took a 3-0 lead early before turning it into a 9-4 spread. The Lady Yellowjackets rallied behind the service of Madison Taylor with 12 straight service points to collect the 25-6 win in the first set.
After falling behind 5-0 early in the second set, CMS battled to get back into the game, pulling within 20-17, but Sheridan held on to claim the 25-21 win.
The Lady Eagles will host Perryville on Monday and White Hall Tuesday with junior varsity matches set to start at 5 p.m.
Sports on 08/21/2018