Smoky Mountain's volleyball team ended a four-match
losing streak with a 19-25, 25-13, 25-14, 25-19 Mountain Athletic
Conference victory over Asheville last Thursday at the SM gym.
"Everybody contributed to the win," said Coach Cindi
Simmons, who deferred to two of her players for further comments.
"It was great," Ryan Cook said. "We pulled together
as a team. We had fun."
Danielle Bowers agreed with her teammate.
"We pulled together, played as a team and had fun this
game," Bowers said. "Everybody got pumped up."
Asheville dominated the first game. The lone run by SM (6-8,
3-6) came when Jessie Woodard served four points, including
three straight aces, cutting the gap to 24-19.
Bowers served four points, including an ace, giving the Lady
Mustangs a 9-3 edge in the second game. Laura Bowers served
five points while Kristine Webb put down three consecutive kills
and Leslie Mathis added a kill upping the margin to 15-6. The
game ended on a side out.
Game three was close until Bonnie Claxton's serving gave the
Lady Mustangs momentum. She reeled off 11 points, including
four aces, while Mathis had a kill for a 23-13 lead. Danielle
Bowers served the final point.
Danielle Bowers had six points, including an ace, for a 10-7
advantage in game four, and the Lady Mustangs breezed to the
win. The match ended on Cook's kill.
Cook finished with 15 assists and five kills. Mathis led in
kills with seven followed by Danielle Bowers with six. Webb
totaled four blocks.
Claxton rolled up 18 points and didn't miss in 26 serves. Danielle
Bowers had 13 points and was perfect in 19 serves. Laura Bowers
got all 13 of her serves in. Team serving was 93.5 percent.
The Lady Mustang JVs ended a seven-match losing streak with
a 25-19, 25-13 win. Ale Ensley had seven assists, and Katie
Johnson contributed four kills. Rachel Stewman was perfect in
10 serves.
"It was great to have a win and build our confidence back
up as we start to face the conference teams the second time
around," Coach Amanda Queen said.
She noted the team had just one bad pass.
