Quitman opens district stopping Mineola

By Sam Major
photos@wood.cm
Posted 9/30/21

The Quitman Lady Bulldogs traveled to Mineola Friday, taking a three-set victory from the Lady Jackets, 25-14, 25-13, 25-18.

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Quitman opens district stopping Mineola

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The Quitman Lady Bulldogs traveled to Mineola Friday, taking a three-set victory from the Lady Jackets, 25-14, 25-13, 25-18.

Mineola libero Kenleigh Aguirre subbed in for Gracie Finley and the district-opening match was underway.

Quitman started strong with a kill by Kaysie Parker securing the initial point. A tip by Ava Burroughs and another score by Parker opened a three-point margin.

The Lady Jackets got on the board in the fourth point, but a Burroughs block brought the ball back to the Lady Bulldogs. Aided by a kill by Madyson Pence, they took a 6-1 lead.

Mineola closed it to 6-4, after which they found holding serve illusive, and Quitman sprinted to a 20-12 advantage.

The Lady Jackets tried to get back in it, scoring the next three points, but that was it for the opening set, with the Lady Bulldogs closing strong on five straight for a nine-point margin.

Quitman extended their scoring streak to open the second set, winning the first five points on the serve of Brooklyn Marcee.

A handful of errors in setting and at the net plagued Mineola, yielding a deficit of nine, when head coach Tashara Stephens called timeout at 16-7 to help her team work through the “too many mistakes” she was seeing.

The next three points fell for the Lady Jackets, but the subsequent one handed the ball back to Marcee to serve, and the Lady Bulldogs rode her hot hand again, this time for six points on the way to a 23-10 tally, unfazed by a timeout at 20-10.

A block by Mylee Fischer secured Mineola’s 13th point, the last for the home team in the second set.

The visitors began the third set as they had the first two, with three straight points. Quick defense and a tip at the net by Fischer earned the first mark for Mineola.

Quitman struggled seemingly for the first time in the match, with a couple of early errors at net, a few on serve, and the Lady Jackets capitalized. A solid point earned their first lead of the match at 7-6. According to Stephens, “We started getting our confidence and feel we can compete,” even with solid hitter Jocelyn Whitehead out for the match.

They pushed the margin to 10-8 before Marcee stepped in with a kill, then three points on her serve for the Lady Bulldogs.

The set remained close, with ties at 11, 12, 13 and 14-all.

On the serve of Carley Spears, Quitman scored the next four. Mineola clawed their way back, trailing 19-18. Quitman head coach Ashlee Lingo “liked that the girls never gave up.”

The next point, though not the final one, was pivotal. Burroughs and Alexis O’Neal made impressive efforts just to keep the ball in play, and winning the point was worth more than just earning a two-point lead, but momentum as well. Another of what Lingo called “impossible plays” in which Marcee and Spears made diving leaps just to keep the ball aloft pushed the margin to three and built on the palpable energy for Lady Bulldogs.

A few more serves by Pence, a set by Spears to Ashley Davis for a score, and the match was over.

Lingo is “impressed with them playing as a unit,” and that they are feeding off each other’s strengths.

O’Neal contributed 11 digs, Spears seven and Marcee and Burroughs six each. Spears had 28 assists. Burroughs converted 13 of those into kills, Marcee seven, Parker and Davis three kills each and Pence added two. Pence scored three aces with Marcee and Spears hitting one each.

For Mineola, Aguirre led with 11 digs, Fischer had 10 and Olivia Hughes five. Fischer had six assists and Hughes five. Aguirre and Hughes hit two kills each.

Not explicitly in the stat line is Burroughs’ presence, which affects the opposition even when not touching the ball, forcing them to play away from her not only with her height, but court-savvy and agile movement.