LEWISBURG 3, HERNANDO 1: This one was much closer than the set score indicates, as the two Region 1-7A squads and county rivals battled hard throughout the game played before a large crowd at Coach Tip Memorial Gymnasium.
The first set was an intense battle with Hernando taking an early 5-4 lead after a service ace by Hernando’s Morgan Ferrell. The Lady Tigers continued to hold slim leads at 10-9 and 15-14 after a Lewisburg volley error. Hernando continued to lead at 20-19, and points rotated back and forth until a Lewisburg kill gave the Lady Patriots a 23-22 lead, forcing a Hernando timeout. Another Hernando ace tied the set at 24-24 but Lewisburg would volley a kill for a one-point edge and scored again to win the set 26-24.
Hernando opened the second set with a 5-4 lead but Lewisburg tied the set at 5-5, followed by a Hallie service ace for an 8-7 advantage. Later, the Lady Patriots scored a 15-14 lead with a point off a block attempt and extended the margin to 19-14 with a kill. Hernando rallied to tie the set at 21-21. Lewisburg scored four of the last six points for a 25-23 set win.
After trailing the third set 5-2, Hernando came back for a 10-10 tie and took a 12-11 lead from there. A Hernando volley into the net brought Lewisburg back out in front at 15-14 and a block would give the Lady Patriots a 20-18 lead and force a Lady Tiger timeout. Coming out of the breather, however, Hernando strung four points together for a 22-20 lead and would hold on to that lead for the 25-21 win, when a Lady Patriot volley went long of the service line.
Unfazed by the third set, Lewisburg retaliated in the fourth set with an early 6-1 advantage but Hernando recovered to tie the set at 13-13. A Lewisburg ace gave the Lady Patriots a 20-17 lead, a lead that grew to 23-19 with a kill, propelling Lewisburg to a 25-22 set win and the 3-1 match result.
“We got a couple things that we got to work on and just clean up, but other than that, I’m very proud of my kids,” said Hernando coach Jamie Cross Johnson. “They did not lay down whatsoever and they fought to the very end. And I mean, we got them one more time.”
“Well, every set was very close, so I feel like both sides gave great effort, executed good volleyball, and played hard,” said Lewisburg coach Amy Hendrichovsky. “We were very fortunate to end up on the winning side.”
A historic landmark for a Lewisburg player came in the first set of Tuesday’s match when Claire Smith recorded her 2,000 career assist, putting her at the top of the Lady Patriot record book for that category.
“She’s a great settler and this program is very fortunate to have her,” Hendrichovsky said. “I thought tonight she led and played very well, and played very competitively.”
Aug 27, 2024
Prep volleyball
Northpoint Christian 3, St. Mary’s Episcopal 0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-22)
(Lewisburg: Ava Becker 16 kills, 17 digs, 2 blocks. Claire Smith 35 assists, 14 digs, 1 block. Allie Kate Hall 15 digs, 4 assists. Mary Olivia Barnes 5 kills, 5 blocks. Hallie Wright 8 kills, 3 blocks. NOTE: Claire Smith reached 2,000 career assists in the first set of Tuesday’s match. Smith now ranks number one in the school record book for that category.)
Lake Cormorant 3, South Panola 0 (25-3, 25-3, 25-5)
(Lake Cormorant: Sofia Gonzalez had 9 kills, Jania Rose served 11 aces, Zamoria Nelson made 6 digs, and Dallas White made 22 assists.)
DeSoto Central 3, Horn Lake 0 (25-10, 25-7, 25-15)
(DeSoto Central: Emma Story led with 6 aces and 9 kills. Genesis Weeks had 8 kills. Sydney Tague had 25 assists. Shelbi Smith had 7 digs and 3 aces. Zion Rucker had 5 kills and 5 aces. Reese McIntosh had 4 kills and 4 aces.)
Oxford 3, Southaven 0 (25-13, 25-8, 25-15)
Saltillo 3, Olive Branch 2
Center Hill 3, Grenada 1
Girls softball
Magnolia Heights 3, Bayou Academy 2
Girls soccer
Bayou Academy 8, Magnolia Heights 0
SPORTS ETC.: The Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Tuesday announced the dates and sites for the 2024 state golf championships. DeSoto Central has been selected as the host school for the 7A state boys’ meet and will play the tournament at the Tunica National Golf Club. Dates for the 36-hole state finals will be on Oct. 28-29. The complete list is found on the MHSAA website.
Hernando and DeSoto Central came away with team championships at Tuesday’s DeSoto County Golf Championships, played at the Olive Branch Country Club.
