Wednesday sports: Lady Gators sweep South Panola in 6A region volleyball
Photo: Lake Cormorant’s Ma’Kayla Hill slams a shot against South Panola on Wednesday night, Aug. 27. (Credit to Mary Scott, Oak River Media)
LAKE CORMORANT, Miss. – The Lake Cormorant Lady Gators powered past South Panola in straight sets Wednesday night, earning a 3-0 sweep in a Region 1-6A volleyball matchup.
Behind dominant serving and consistent offensive firepower, Lake Cormorant controlled the match from the start.
First Set Surge
After an early 3-1 lead, the Lady Gators exploded on an eight-point run fueled by three service aces from Ma’Kayla Hill and a kill from Sofia Gonzalez. Following a South Panola side out, Lake Cormorant closed the set with a 14-point run, highlighted by three more kills from Gonzalez and a service ace from Emily Huerta, winning 25-2.
Second Set Dominance
South Panola opened the second set strong with a 5-0 run, but Lake Cormorant quickly rallied. McKenzie Morris dropped a shot to the floor to spark momentum, followed by eight straight points for a 10-6 lead. Huerta added two aces, Rebecca Rohrbacher made a diving shot for a point, and Kayla Gonzalez scored with a service ace. Hill extended the lead with a kill, and the Lady Gators cruised to a 25-12 win.
Third Set Finish
The third set was tighter early, but Lake Cormorant pulled ahead 11-7 before extending the margin on South Panola errors. Hill powered a kill to make it 22-11, and Gonzalez sealed the sweep with back-to-back kills, closing the set 25-12.
Coach’s Reaction
Lake Cormorant head coach Christina Morgan praised her team’s performance and depth.
“We played really good volleyball tonight,” Morgan said. “Everybody got in there and contributed, and that’s always fun. We’ve been working on being connected as a team, and I loved the way everyone did their part to get this district win.”
Morgan also noted the importance of giving younger players experience behind her eight seniors. “That experience is going to help them down the road, especially when they’ll need to step up next year,” she said.
The coach highlighted Hill’s continued growth. “She’s got so much power and a lot of different shots,” Morgan said. “I think she’s really complimenting the team alongside Sofia.”
Looking Ahead
Lake Cormorant will travel to Foley, Alabama, for a weekend tournament featuring competitive teams from across the region. Their first matchup will be against Tupelo, one of only three Mississippi teams in the event, along with Hernando.
Statistically speaking…..
For the match, Sofia Gonzalez recorded 15 kills and Ma’Kayla Hill added eight kills. Hill served six aces and Emily Huerta and Gonzalez each served five aces. Huerta and Gonzalez each posed 12 digs and Rebecca Rohrbacher added 10 digs. Payton Davis made 28 assists and Kaya Gonzalez added four.
Scoreboard
Wednesday, Aug. 27
Prep volleyball
- Olive Branch at Memphis Central
- DeSoto Central 3, St. George’s (Collierville, Tenn.) 1
- Lake Cormorant 3, South Panola 0 (25-2, 25-12, 25-12)
JUCO volleyball
- Northwest 3, Northeast 0
JUCO men’s soccer
- Belhaven 3, Northwest 1
Credit photos to Mary Scott, Oak River Media
