BEARCATS DOMINATE CHARLESTON

How dominating was Thursday’s straight set win over Charleston? The Bearcats never trailed. In any of the 25-20, 25-16, 25-14 sets.

The Bearcats first home game since August 31 was their most complete of the season head coach Bailey Stringer said in a video interview after the game.

“We had a completely different team out there tonight,” Stringer said. “One that I’ve seen in practice for months now but the first time fans got to see – the rallies, the energy, it was all there tonight.”

The Bearcats scored the first three points of the night but Charleston was within striking distance most of the set.

It was 11-9 after a kill by Kaylee Ray, 12-10 after one by Ellie Smith and, after Charleston was able to tie it at 12-12 – the only tie score of the entire match – Smith found a hole for a point.

Presley Walker pushed a ball over with one hand to make it 14-12 and an ace by Kylie Lunsford had the lead at three and she would stay on serve for one more point.

At 18-13 Charleston took a time out but Ray drilled an opposite line on the next point.

Charleston got it back to 20-16 but Lyddia Franklin smashed a ball off a Lady Tiger’s fingertips.

Again it was a two point game at 22-20 but the Bearcats scored the final three points, with the winner coming on a combined block by Lunsford and Cam Parish.

The Bearcats were in control throughout the second set after opening a 4-0 lead with Smith scoring on soft and more forceful attacks, then running off four more starting with a Lunsford kill and were up 8-1.

Lilly Downs went to the service line after a break at 13-7 and stayed there through 17-7 including a long point on which Lunsford and Downs dove for balls to keep the play alive.

A Smith kill made it 19-10 and it was 21-11 before Charleston made a small run to get within 22-15 but Walker scored with a soft return and the Bearcats went on to a 25-16 set win.

With Ray recording a kill the Bearcats again scored the first three points in the third set and were up 5-2 after another long point that culminated with a Lunsford kill.

The lead would be nine then reached 22-8 with Lunsford serving through three points. Out of a time out an ace by Lunsford had the Bearcats three points away from the sweep.

Again Charleston mounted a small surge getting it back to nine at one point before a two-hand return by Walker fell in for the final point of the match.

The varsity win completed a sweep of the day as the JV team and the Junior Bearcats both also swept their Tiger opponents.