BEARCATS AFTER 3 SEED IN VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

The Bearcat volleyball team will play for the fourth straight day today when they face Mayflower in the third place game of the District 3A-5 tournament being hosted by the Bearcats at Bearcat Gymnasium.

Seeded fifth for the tournament, the Bearcats dropped into the third place game after a straight set loss to top seeded Paris yesterday while the second seeded Eagles lost to third seeded Conway Christian in four sets in the nightcap Wednesday.

The final set saw the Bearcats take a lead for the first time. The Bearcats took multiple leads early with Ellie Smith breaking a tie at 2 with a push and a tie at 3 with a bock and the lead was eventually 6-4.

Paris eventually took over and won 25-16.

The second set was the most competitive. A Presley Walker kill had the Bearcats within 3-2, and kills by Smith and Kaylee Ray made it 8-4 and 10-5, respectively.

Paris would open a lead as big as 18-11 but Shelbie Myers got a return to fall and after a net violation Vanessa O’Neal had a block for a point, a side return, and an O’Neal Kill made it 18-16.

Consecutive attack errors by Paris had the Bearcats within 19-18 but Paris scored the next three points and went on to win the set 25-20.

The first set started with Paris scoring the first five points. It was the same five point margin when Smith blocked a smash to make it 14-9, but the Eagles scored the next 11 points to end the set.

A win tonight pitts the Bearcats against the two seed from the 3A-1 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Otherwise the Bearcats get the 3A-1 tournament winner at 5 p.m. Tuesday.