SHEPHERD — The Shepherd Lady Pirates took complete control of Tuesday night's matchup with the Trinity Lady Tigers, sweeping Trinity in three sets and never allowing the Lady Tigers to find their rhythm.
Shepherd posted convincing wins in all three sets, 25-13, 25-4 and 25-14, turning what began as a competitive opening into a dominant night for the Lady Pirates.
After Trinity opened the first set with several early points, Head Coach Ashley Brockner quickly called a timeout and made adjustments. The move paid immediate dividends as Shepherd settled in and began controlling the match from the service line to the net.
Brooklyn White led the attack with seven kills and added an impressive six service aces. Aliyah Thomas and Whitney Millage followed with five kills apiece, giving the Lady Pirates a balanced attack throughout the evening. Serving was also a major factor in the Shepherd victory. Abby Anderson put together an impressive run of eight consecutive serves during the first and third sets, helping produce a combined 26 points during those stretches.
The second set featured another strong serving performance as Brooklyn White and Latika Hadnot combined for nine consecutive serves, keeping Trinity under constant pressure. With strong serving, aggressive play at the net and quick adjustments from the coaching staff, the Lady Pirates continued to build momentum throughout the night.
By the final whistle, Shepherd had completed the sweep and added another strong performance to the young season, one that showed the Lady Pirates are becoming increasingly comfortable with their new system and playing with confidence.
On Friday, Shepherd faced Cleveland, but scores were not available.
COLDSPRING — The Coldspring gym was packed with hometown supporters Tuesday night as the Lady Trojans welcomed the Corrigan-Camden Lady Bulldogs for an intense five-set battle that kept the crowd on its feet until the final point.
Corrigan-Camden appeared to be in complete control early, taking the opening set 25-16 after building leads of as many as nine points on multiple occasions. The Lady Bulldogs carried that momentum into the second set, winning 25-12 and seemingly putting Coldspring on the ropes. But the Lady Trojans weren't ready to give in.
Following an intense team huddle led by Head Coach Krista Jones, Coldspring returned to the court with a renewed sense of energy and determination. The difference was immediate. The Lady Trojans took control of the third set and battled their way to a 25-23 victory.
With the home crowd firmly behind them, Coldspring continued to build momentum in the fourth set. The Lady Trojans fought point-for-point and forced a decisive fifth set with another hard-earned victory, 25-22.
The final set was everything a fifth set should be. Coldspring and Corrigan-Camden battled deep into the frame, with the score tied at 11-11 before the Lady Bulldogs managed to regain the lead and close out the match 15-12.
The final set scores were 16-25, 12-25, 25-23, 25-22 and 12-15. Jones said Jessie Coker was the spotlight of the game.
