WHITE TEAM WINS PURPLE-WHITE SCRIMMAGE

When Bearcat Volleyball Coach Bailey Stringer separated her roster into squads of Purple and White she did so by alternating starters between the teams then doing the same with the remainder of the roster.

That put senior Kylie Lunsford in purple and all state libero Lilly Downs in white and so forth.

The intent was for the teams to be evenly matched and they were for the most part, although the White team did win the match in two sets, 27-25 and 25-17.

The main difference came in the second set when White broke serve to lead 14-10, matching their largest lead of the entire match, and sending Lyddia Franklin back to serve.

Franklin started service with an ace and before the Purple team could break serve it was an 8-0 run and a 22-10 lead.

After the ace there was a two-hit violation prompting a time out. Out of the stoppage, a Hailey Haines kill, and another point for the White despite a couple of blocks by Ellie Smith and it was 18-10.

After the Purple team finally ended the run at 22-11 Haines dropped a soft kill in an open spot and it was 23-12.

Smith registered a kill and took over service for a small run that got her team within 23-17 and included a big block by Cameron Parish but Kaylee Ray found another open spot for a soft kill to make it 24-17.

The White team closed it out on the next serve by Haines.

The Purple team had jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first set by breaking serve on the first point and running off three more with Presley Walker service.

However, it would be tied at 7, 9, and 10 before the White team took its first lead.

The White team went on to stretch the lead to 14-10 prompting a time out and Alanna Helms ended the run with a kill after the break.

An ace by Ray gave the White another four point lead at 16-12. It was later 18-14, marking the largest difference on the scoreboard until the Franklin run in the second set.

A long point won by the Purple got them within 19-18 but the White responded to eventually lead 24-21 after a serve into the net.

However the Purple got a dig from Farrah Stringer to save what turned into a lengthy point won on a long return and Smith followed with a well-placed serve that won a short point, then a kill that won a longer one and it was tied.

It would be tied again at 25, despite a dig by Anna Ferguson, before the White team won the next two points, one on a kill by Franklin and the other on a return into the net.

The Bearcat volleyball season opener is Monday when Mena visits for matches against the 7th grade, Junior A, and Varsity Bearcats.