BEARCAT VOLLEYBALL TOOK ON HACKETT LAST NIGHT

If being forced to play in a conference with a pair of perennial state title contenders were not enough, but the Bearcat volleyball team has to play them back-to-back. Twice.

Last night completed the second run of Paris and Hackett with the Bearcats swept at home.

However the Bearcats were competitive at points in each of the sets.

In the first set a net serve by Hackett and an attack error with Lyddia Franklin serving had the Bearcats within 5-3 before Hackett pulled away and won 25-14.

Set two saw two early ties and it was a 6-5 game then one of 8-7 on a point by Presley Walker (shown).

Kaylee Ray was smacked with a ball but came back to record a thunderous kill and Kylie Lunsford had a block at the net to get the Lady Bearcats to 14 before Hackett closed the set.

In the third set the Bearcats led early at 3-2 and Hackett led 7-5 after a kill by Ellie Smith. With Smith on the service line the Bearcats got within 10-9 but Hackett again extended the lead in the middle part of the set.

A kill by Cameron Parish allowed the Bearcats to register a 15th point before Hackett closed the match.

Hackett had also won the junior high game but the Junior B team had won two set and the seventh grade squad had split sets.

The Bearcat JV team also took on Lamar’s varsity and beat the second year program in two sets on Monday.

A Vanessa O’Neal kill in the first set gave the Bearcats a 12-7 edge and the lead was 18-7 before Emily Wooldridge’s serve was broken.

Lamar closed with 20-13 before the Bearcat took the set 25-15.

Set two was much closer. The Bearcats led 15-10 but Lamar got even at 21 then took the lead out of a time out.

The Bearcats got even when Lamar couldn’t handle a Peighton Montalvo return and went in front when Christina O’Neal’s service was returned wide.

A kill by Iris Martin and a volley by Vanessa O’Neal fell to close out the 25-22 set.

Up next for the Bearcats is Green Forest, who visits Thursday, and a tournament in Paris on Saturday.