Lady Hornets freshmen stun Lady Charging Wildcats at North Little Rock
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NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The Bryant Lady Hornets freshman volleyball team captured their second win in a row on Thursday, Oct. 7, turning the tables on North Little Rock on its home court, 25-16, 25-19. North Little Rock had won at Bryant earlier in the season.
The Lady Hornets include Jenna Acheson, Aubree Allen, Ashlea Brazil, Ashlee Caton, Stormi Chaloner, Kaley Coppock, Hannah Crouch, Dezarea Duckworth, Kaitlyn Greer, Nicole Guyett, Kayla Jolley, Jacie McMahan, Mekaylah Muhammad, Breanna Sanders, Courtnie Schultz, Becka Shaddon, Erica Smith and Katy Stillman.[more]
The Lady Hornets host Mount St. Mary’s tonight in their final home match of the regular season. After playing at Conway Blue on Thursday, they’ll host the 7A-Central Junior High Conference post-season tournament starting Saturday, Oct. 16.
“After the first round of conference games, we have been working hard on a new defense, shuffling positions, and our hustle-digging plays,” noted Lady Hornets coach Monica Parish. “It all fell into place Thursday night. Every time (North Little Rock) attacked, we were there with a dig. Our blocks and our defense frustrated their hitters and then they started hitting harder which went out of bounds or in the net which led to more frustration.
“We knew we would have to play a very good match if we had a chance at North Little Rock,” she added. “They are a very good team. They are always better the second time around. So we knew it wasn’t going to be easy but, honestly, we were in control from the very start at never looked back.”
In the first game, Caton served for points three through five as the Lady Hornets took the lead for good. Guyett contributed two kills and Allen had six. She also served up an ace along the way.
In the second game, Allen got on a serving roll from points nine through 14. She also contributed a dig and a kill during that run. Shaddon added two digs and two aces during the game and Duckworth knocked down three kills.
“Our team defense,” declared Parish. “The girls were shifting correctly and consistently.
“Dee (Duckworth) had many plays at the net, blocks, kills, digs and dinks for points,” she added. “She really was our ‘sparkplug’ for the match. She would make some remarkable plays to keep our momentum going. Her play really motivated the team.
“The same could be said of Kaley Coppock on some of her digs,” Parish noted. “I don’t know how she got some of those balls up but she did and that got us fired up too.”
The coach mentioned that the team will be tested tonight. “MSM is one of the top three teams in our conference,” she said.
