Quitman outlasts Mineola for five-set district victory

By Larry Tucker
editor@wood.cm
Posted 10/21/21

It was an epic battle when county rivals Quitman and Mineola met at Ballard Memorial Gym last Tuesday. Quitman took an exciting 3-2 win that put the Lady Bulldogs in the third playoff spot in …

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Quitman outlasts Mineola for five-set district victory

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It was an epic battle when county rivals Quitman and Mineola met at Ballard Memorial Gym last Tuesday. Quitman took an exciting 3-2 win that put the Lady Bulldogs in the third playoff spot in district play behind Mt. Vernon and Harmony.

The 13-3A district match had its share of close games and great effort and hustle on both sides of the net. It was the type of effort where neither team deserved to lose, but in the end, Quitman’s experience paid dividends as they took the five-set victory 23-25, 25-14, 21-25, 25-12, 15-10. 

“I am so proud of my girls,” Quitman Head Coach Ashlee Lingo declared. “We started out shaky and had a few hiccups throughout the game, but they were able to finish the game. Mineola is always well-coached and gives us tough competition. This was a huge game for the standings in our district and I was glad we were able to take care of business both times we played them.”

The battle at the net was exciting throughout the match. Middle blockers Quitman senior and UT-Arlington commit Ava Burroughs and Mineola junior Jocelyn Whitehead each had excellent moments. Whitehead missed the first district game which Mineola lost in three sets, but in this one, she was able to lead the Lady Jackets in the five-set match.

In the first set, a kill by Whitehead gave Mineola a 5-4 lead. The Lady Jackets did not fall behind in the set. Mineola never had more than a four point lead but made the plays leading to the victory. Olivia Hughes and Mylee Fischer each had important kills.

Quitman came back determined in the second set to take a dominating 25-14 win. With the score tied at 4-4 Burroughs hit for two kills and then blocked a shot for a score to give the Lady Bulldogs a 7-4 lead. Another Burroughs kill on an assist from Carley Spears put Quitman up 20-10. A Brooklyn Marcee kill made it a 21-10 lead for Quitman as the Lady Bulldogs finished off the 25-14 win.

The third set was all Mineola as a determined Lady Jacket squad came alive taking a 25-21 victory. Mineola dominated this set and at one time held a big 19-10 lead as Hughes and Fischer led the way for the Lady Jackets.   

Set four belonged to Quitman as the Lady Bulldogs took the win with a 25-12 score. After taking a 10-8 lead in the set, the Lady Bulldogs went on a 15-4 run to take the win setting up the fifth and final set.

A Spears tap shot over the Lady Jacket front line fell for a point to give Quitman a 5-1 lead and the Lady Bulldogs never looked back, taking the final set 15-10.  

Burroughs had a great match, not only at the net but in the back row with 23 kills, 22 digs, seven aces, three blocks and two block assists. Marcee hustled her way to 10 kills, 12 digs and two aces. Spears continued her consistent year with 37 assists, four aces, seven left-handed kills and eight digs while defensive specialist Alexis O’Neal had 22 digs on the back line, two kills and one ace.

For Mineola, Hughes had a big effort with eight kills, seven assists and two digs. Whitehead had seven kills and four digs. Kenleigh Aguirrie was excellent on the back row with 21 digs. Fischer continued her consistent play with a great all-around effort recording 18 assists, eight digs and six kills.