Chain reaction
- Updated: August 29, 2022
Oxford wins home opener, Ohatchee wins its area opener; Westbrook wins weekend tournament, remains undefeated
MONDAY MATCHES
Ohatchee 3, Piedmont 0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-22)
Munford 3, Cleburne County 1 (8-25, 25-11, 25-17, 25-23)
White Plains, Pell City at Oxford
Oxford 2, Pell City 0 (25-12, 25-22)
Oxford 2, White Plains 0 (25-18, 26-24)
Pell City 2, White Plains 0 (25-16, 25-23)
By East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD – Every team recognizes a star of the game, but the Oxford volleyball team has taken it a bit farther this year presenting a trinket that really locks it in.
The Gamechanger Chain goes to Oxford player who has the biggest impact on the match and in the Lady Yellow Jackets’ twin sweep of Pell City and White Plains in their first home match of the season that prize went to Mileah Prince.
Prince had seven kills at the Lady Jackets beat Pell City 25-15, 25-22 and White Plains 25-18, 26-24. They trailed in the second set of the White Plains match before winning in extra points.
“I talked to the girls about doing something as a team and one of the girls mentioned something like football teams have with a turnover chain,” assistant coach Rachel Poe explained. “Our logo is the Oregon O, so I went to their website and purchased an O chain and the girls decorated it with volleyball stickers.”
The Lady Jackets (5-7) responded to the support on Athlete Night at the Sports Arena by spreading the wealth.
In addition to Prince’s seven kills, Abbie Mitchell had 15, Jaslyn Montgomery seven, Daelyn Bozeman six and Sadie Grace Morrison four. JaMae Gaston had 18 digs and Payton Brooks had 31 assists.
White Plains lost to Pell City 2-0 in the other match of the night. Leighton Arnold had eight kills and three aces for the Lady Wildcats in their two matches. Braxton Moran had five aces, six digs and 20 assists.
Don’t get mad, get even
Two days after being swept by Cleburne County in the best-of-three finals of their own tournament, the Munford Lady Lions bounced back to beat their nemesis for the first time in four years, 3-1.
It looked like it was going to be more of the same early as the Lady Lions dropped the first set 25-8, but they came roaring back to take the next three 25-11, 25-17, 25-23.
Blair Darby and Mylie Stephens had big games for Munford (10-2). Darby, a senior in her first year playing volleyball, had nine kills, two aces and six digs, while Mylie Stephens, an eighth-grade middle hitter,, posted six kills and four blocks. Anijah Gladded had two kills and 18 digs, Kyleigh Hurst had 24 assists and eighth-grade libero Ashtyn Bishop had 18 digs.
“I am super proud of my girls’ character tonight,” Munford coach Destinee Briskey said. “After a non-competitive first set, they reground, made adjustments and executed the game plan. A win like this gives us a lot of confidence going forward.
“The girls have lost to Cleburne County so much that it has been a mental block. To see them overcome that is truly what makes coaching so beautiful.”
| MUNFORD | KIL | AST | ACE | DIG | BLK |
| Kyleigh Hurst | 24 | 2 | 8 | ||
| Anijah Gladden | 2 | 1 | 18 | ||
| Ashtyn Bishop | 18 | ||||
| Ellie Jones | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | |
| Blair Darby | 9 | 2 | 6 | ||
| Kaylyn Turner | 4 | 2 | |||
| Alys Mosley | 2 | 1 | |||
| Mylie Stephens | 6 | 4 | |||
| Aubrey Lathem | 5 |
Off to a good start
PIEDMONT – Ohatchee had its service game on target and opened its area schedule with a 3-0 win over Piedmont (25-11, 25-17, 25-22).
Alanah Fitch had eight aces, Jorda Crook five and Rebecca Henderson three in the sweep.
Crook also had 15 kills and five blocks, Fitch had five kills and 12 assists, Henderson had six kills and Hannah Fitch had 10 assists and six digs.
Westbrook on a roll
WALNUT GROVE – Westbrook Christian continued its hot start to the season over the weekend by sweeping four matches to win the West End Invitational.
The Lady Warriors beat West End, Sardis, Ashville and Douglas 25-14, 25-15 in the championship match. They are off to a 9-0 start and have yet to drop a set.
Three freshmen led the way. Hitters Landri Lipscomb and Ellison Stewart had 16 kills apiece in the tournament and setter Raylee Neal had 56 assists.
| WESTBROOK | KIL | AST | ACE | DIG | BLK |
| Raylee Neal | 8 | 56 | 10 | ||
| Raegan Harrell | 10 | 7 | 3 | 2 | |
| Taylor Meador | 5 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Landri Lipscomb | 16 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
| Henley Beddingfield | 2 | 21 | |||
| Kaylee Wyatt | 2 | 31 | |||
| Ellison Stewart | 16 | 6 | 12 | ||
| Marley Cox | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
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