Sept. 24, 2024 – Northpoint Christian volleyball continued to dominate DeSoto County Schools competition, sweeping defending MHSAA 7A state champion Lewisburg 3-0 Tuesday night at Northpoint. Set scores were 25-17, 25-17, 25-22.
The Lady Trojans this season have had similar success with two other volleyball powers in DeSoto County, sweeping 6A state champ Lake Cormorant on the Lady Gators’ floor, and defeating DeSoto Central during last weekend’s Mid-South Classic.
“We knew the offense was going to come out and both teams were going to be great offensively,” Northpoint coach Kim Robinson said. “It was just who was going to make the least amount of errors.”
Northpoint opened the match with four straight service points from Val Hurdle and when the lead grew to 6-1, Lewisburg took its first timeout. A Lady Patriot attack error grew the lead to 13-7 Northpoint and when Quinn Thurman put down a kill, the Lady Trojans led 16-9. Lewisburg took another timeout with Northpoint holding a 23-15 lead after a Lady Patriot attack error and Quinn Thurman’s kill finished the set at 25-17.
“That was the goal, to do the small things,” Robinson said. “Try to get to five first, try to get to 10 first, because we knew that if we could get a separation a point, we would be able to stay ahead.”
The second set had a closer start but a Quinn Thurman block gave Northpoint a 9-4 lead. Lewisburg rallied to get within 11-9, but the Lady Trojans answered for a 15-10 margin. At 20-12 Northpoint, the Lady Patriots called a timeout, a kill from Kylee Reynolds improved the NCS lead to 24-17 on their way to winning the set 25-17.
Robinson said winning the final set of a match is usually the toughest one to get and that was proved out as Lewisburg rallied in the third to take their first lead of the match at 4-3. The margin grew to 6-4 on a Northpoint service error but tied the set at 6-6 on a kill by McKenzie Roach.
At 10-10, Northpoint took over the set, running off four straight points for a 14-10 lead. Again, Lewisburg rallied to get within 15-13, but were forced to call timeout at 18-14 Northpoint.
The Lady Patriots challenged again, getting within 19-18 Northpoint and the Lady Trojans asked for a break. Lewisburg tied the set at 21-21, but that’s when Northpoint would claim the final four points for the set and match.
Northpoint has one more district match at Lausanne Collegiate next Tuesday and also has Bartlett at home on its schedule, but Lewisburg gets back into it on Wednesday, with its own district match against Hernando.
Robinson said her team’s hopes are high.
“I feel like these girls are peaking at the right time and our service play is amazing,” she said. “These girls have worked so hard.”
Prep volleyball
Olive Branch 3 Horn Lake 1
Lake Cormorant 3, Center Hill 0 (25-16, 25-8, 25-16)
(Lake Cormorant: Sofia Gonzalez – 12 kills. Ariana Woods – 10 kills. Jania Rose – 4 aces, 12 digs. Zamoria Nelson – 3 aces, 8 digs. Dallas White – 32 assists.)
DeSoto Central 3, Oxford 2
Hernando 3, Southaven 0 (25-11, 25-7, 25-11)
Northpoint Christian 3, Lewisburg 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-21)
Match point for Northpoint Christian vs. Lewisburg
Hassie Clare Thurman of Northpoint Christian set a school record of 1,500 digs for her career, a record previously set by her sister Quinn. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
SPORTS ETC.: Northpoint Christian girls’ golf finished as region runner-up and will compete in the state meeting Oct. 5-8.
Congrats to the Lady Trojan Golf team for finishing as runner-up in the Regional Tournament today! They will be advancing to the State Championship October 5-8.
Congrats to Graysa Enders for her 5th place overall finish!
