After three straight road games to start the 2024 season, Bearcat volleyball was finally at home on Tuesday night.
Home was sweet as Bearcat Gymnasium saw the Bearcats earn a first win with a 3-1 set win. Even more sweet, according to head coach Bailey Stringer, was the girls played together as a team.
The first set ended with a slap down by junior Vanessa O’Neal, that made it 26-24. O'Neal was credited with nine match kills.
Clarksville would take the second set by the same 26-24 count by winning the last three points. The Bearcats had led most of the set before falling behind and battling back to be serving up 24-23.
Rather than let the momentum loss carry over into the third set the Bearcats, as Stringer noted, kept playing together.
That came with Ellie Smith and Farrah Stringer with sets for O’Neal, Presley Walker, Kaylee Ray, Shelbie Myers and Lyddia Franklin who, like Smith saw plenty of time on the floor from the back, while playing alongside Rylee Haller.
The back is also where two time all state libero Lilly Downs calls home.
“It was divide and conquer. When you’ve got Lilly Downs on the back row you’re never out of a point,” said Stringer.
The four set win capped off a night that included a win by the Bearcat JV and Jr. A teams.
Up next is a game at Mayflower Thursday. Mayflower is a conference opponent although this meeting will not count in the standings.
VOLLEYBALL BEARCATS WIN HOME OPENER IN FOUR SETS
