After a hiccup in their first match of the day, the Brownwood Lady Lions regrouped and landed in the win column in their final three matches Thursday to open Heart of Texas volleyball tournament action at the Brownwood Coliseum.
The Lady Lions first fell to Early for the second time this season, 25-12, 25-22, but bounced back with victories over Coleman, 25-19, 25-10, Brady, 24-26, 25-6, 15-6, and the Brownwood JV, 25-16, 25-21.
“We started off really slow, and I felt like we did a good job the second match playing with fire and responding to being a little disappointed with how we started the day,” said Lady Lions head coach Kristen Grimes. “We got some kids in off the bench today and I thought they did a really job of coming in and keeping the level of play up. Overall I think our passing was pretty good today.”
As for areas Grimes would like to see improved from Thursday, she said, “We let other teams dictate our energy. If the other team is up with theirs, we’re up with our energy. If the other team is quieter, we’re quieter. We talked a lot today about playing on our side at our level, not letting the other side dictate the type of energy we have. That’s what I want to see on Saturday.”
In the opening match against Early, Hannah Deen registered eight kills to spark the Lady Lions offense followed by Aniah Hines with seven and Kaydence Chandler with one.
Icess Hall dished out 15 assists and Maddi Scott contributed one, while Hines and Chandler each served an ace.
Defensively, Hines recorded seven digs followed by Scott with five; Deen with four; Lanie Johnson and Ashantia Green with three apiece; Hall, Chandler, and Jentry Coalson with two apiece; and Hooker with one.
At the net, Hooker led the way with three blocks and Chandler contributed one.
Against Coleman, Hines and Deen both notched five kills followed by Hooker with three, Hall with two, and Chandler and Camryn Gipson with one apiece.
Hall recorded all 17 Brownwood assists while Johnson served four aces, Deen and Hall each contributed two, and Hines and Chandler both added one.
Defensively, Scott registered seven digs trailed by Johnson and Sara Stubblefield with three apiece, Hall and Addy Huerta with two each, and Deen with one.
Hooker logged three blocks at the net while Gipson and Hines each added one.
In the victory over Brady, Chandler’s nine kills led the charge along with seven from Hines, six from Deen, five from Hooker, and two from Green.
Hall produced 28 assists with one coming from Scott, while Hines served 10 aces, Johnson and Chandler recorded three each, and Scott finished with two.
Defensively, Scott notched three digs along with two by Chandler, and one apiece from Hall, Scott and Coalson.
Brownwood did not tally a block in the Coleman match.
The Lady Lions (6-5) will next compete Saturday morning back at the Brownwood Coliseum in Gold Bracket play at the Heart of Texas tournament.
Tournament action continues Friday with Pool B competition. The schedule is as follows:
- 8 a.m.: Bangs vs. Comanche
- 9 a.m.: Snyder vs. Abilene Cooper JV
- 10 a.m.: Bangs vs. Snyder
- 11 a.m.: Comanche vs. Fort Worth Covenant
- Noon: Bangs vs. Abilene Cooper JV
- 1 p.m.: Snyder vs. Fort Worth Covenant
- 2 p.m.: Comanche vs. Abilene Cooper JV
- 3 p.m.: Bangs vs. Fort Worth Covenant
- 4 p.m.: Comanche vs. Snyder
- 5 p.m.: Abilene Cooper JV vs. Fort Worth Covenant