By Chris Morgan
LITTLE ROCK — The Bryant Lady Hornets junior varsity team took on the Mount Saint Mary Acadamy Belles JV Tuesday night. The Lady Hornets took the best-of-three match 2-0, winning the first game 25-20 and the second 25-17.
The first game was kicked off with an Erin Thompson ace. Truli Bates then picked up a block and a spike back at the Belle defense to move the Lady Hornets up 3-0. Bates would come back again this time pairing up with Erin Key blocking a Mount strike, improving the lead to 6-2.
On the following serve, Emma Buiting produced an ace, moving the Lady Hornet lead to five.
The Belles would swing things back while scoring four and only allowing two points pulling the game back to 9-7.
The Lady Hornets would have an answer to the Belles’ run producing four unanswered points moving the score 13-7.
With both teams trading blows, it was the Belles’ turn to grab some momentum, scoring four unanswered points before the string was broken up by a Key kill.
Still in front, the Lady Hornets closed the door on any chance of the Belles tying the game, scoring five points while only allowing three to raise their lead to 19-14.
Back, to back to back kills would pull the Lady Belles close but time just ran out on the Belles as the Lady Hornets closed the game 25-20.
The Lady Hornets combined for four aces, with four service errors, as the Lady Hornet defense did not allow an ace or a serving error.
The highlight of game two was a skillfully placed serve floating just on the sideline breaking an early 2-2 draw. The Lady Hornets would build off this advantage. It was a 6-4 lead with a Key kill.
The team would continue its dominance with attacks at the net.
Bryant would pull away, putting together a 10-3 drive, moving the score 16-7. The Belles managed four unanswered points but a kill from Lexi Brown shut down the Mount momentum.
The Lady Hornets would ride the six-point lead to the end of the match.
The junior varsity Lady Hornets next play at home on Thursday night against Little Rock Central.
