VOLLEYBALL SEASON GETS UNDERWAY MONDAY

Already down two sets, the Booneville Bearcats found themselves trailing Mena 11-2 in the third set of their season opening match at Bearcat Gym Monday night.

The Bearcats would rally to force a fourth set with a 26-24 win.

The Bearcats got an ace among a couple service points with Farrah Stringer serving and were within 13-6.

After a kill by Presley Walker Lilly Downs went to the service line and a two-hand push by Ellie Smith scored. Next, Downs had a well-placed serve that Mena hit three times but could not get net level and a Kylie Lunsford kill had it to 15-12.

After Mena ran it to 19-15 Hailey Hanes had a cross court winner and the Bearcats would start chipping away again.

It was 21-18 when a Walker block led to a point and another score came on a four hit violation by Mena and got the Bearcats within 22-21.

Mena broke serve but Lyddia Franklin registered a kill to return the break and make it a one point game again.
When a Mena return was long it was tied for the first time of the match, at 23-23.

An under the net violation put Mena within a point of a straight set win but a return into it tied it up and sent Kaylee Ray (shown) to serve. A Smith block gave the Bearcats their first lead of the day and a long return from Mena made it a set win at 26-24.

In the final set Mena jumped to a 10-0 lead forcing a time out. The lead grow to 11 but the Bearcats again creeped back in it, despite an injury sent Haines to the bench and got sophomore Cameron Parish on the floor for the first time.

Mena’s lead was 13 when Walker came up with a kill. A series that included an ace by Stringer and block by Walker moved it to 18-10.

Ray and Smith had kills on successive points to cut the lead to 20-14 and a multiple hit violation by Mena made it a five point game at 20-15.

A break exchange had the score 21-16 but Mena ran off three straight and led 24-16.

The Bearcats managed two points before the visitors finished the 3-1 win at 25-18.

Both of the first two sets ended 25-15 with Mena never trailing after starting set one 3-0 and set two 6-0.

The first set featured a couple kills by Franklin to keep the Bearcats within striking distance and a bizarre point after a dig by Downs rolled just over the net.

Despite the early second set deficit the Bearcats climbed within 9-7 on a Lunsford ace and were again within two after a kill by Walker and a return in the net that made it 11-9.

But Mena scored the next four points and was in control the rest of the set, overcoming an ace by Downs and a kill by Franklin that cut the lead to seven and nine points.

Junior High

Mena won in straight sets, 25-17 and 25-21.

The Bearcats had a 7-4 lead in the first set before Mena ran off 14 straight points. Taylor Villarreal finally interrupted the run.

The Bearcats got within 21-15 after a kill by Brooklyn Phillips and a service point with Villarreal on the end line but 22-16 was as close as it would get the rest of the way.

The second set was tied at 3, saw Mena lead 7-6 after a Phillips ace, and was 8-7 before Mena got a little breathing room.

A point from Emma Fox ended the brief run and the Bearcats eventually drew even at 11 and 12 before taking their first lead on a kill by Phillips, who made it two straight and the Bearcats eventually led 15-12.

With Phillips serving the Bearcats increased their lead to 19-15 but, including a service break Mena ran off four straight to tie it again.

A kill by Jamie Reed gave the Bearcats the lead back but Mena again scored four straight and would go on to win the set 25-21.

Mena also won the seventh grade game, which saw two full sets played.