Mayflower knocks off Cutter in volleyball

By Kevin Black
UCA sportswriting

Mayflower—Mayflower’s Lady Eagles beat Cutter Morning Star on Tuesday, 25-10, 23-25, 25-21,25-21.

Lady Eagles coach Traci Berry said the team was ready for a win in a big Class 3A-A match and the Lady Eagles got the job done, winning the first game, 25-10.

“We needed a win,” Berry said. “The first game, we played really well. We came out, we were communicating, we were making good decisions.”

The Lady Eagles won the first game quickly, according to Berry, who said they might have gotten ahead of themselves.

“Then I think we kind of took it for granted a little bit, and stopped doing those things,” Berry said.

Taylor Gregory said the Lady Eagles communicated well in the first game.

“The first game we played awesome — our communication was up, our moving and our transitions were really good,” Gregory said.

In Game 2, the Lady Eagles were down until Sam Paradis served seven straight points to give them a 15-11 lead, a performance Berry said was important.

“We had some players come in and serve for us, there in a pinch, that came under some pressure,” Berry said. “I think that was big.”

The Cutter Lady Eagles fought back late in the game on Danielle Graves’ strong services, and several late return errors for Mayflower gave Morning Star the 25-23 win to tie the match at 1-1.

In Game 3, Mayflower got off to a good start early and never relinquished the lead until Morning Star tied it at 10-10.
Mayflower's Hannah Fulmer served three straight points late, and the Eagles held off Morning Stars’ Kati Dixon’s three consecutive kill attempts to win, 25-21.

“I think we should have talked a little more in the second and third game,” Gregory said.

Morning Star was up 11-2 at one point in Game 4 thanks to Graves’ nine straight service points. But the Eagles fought back with two straight aces by Whitney Willock, a kill by Fulmer, two consecutive kills by Taylor Gregory and another ace for Willock to cut the lead to two.

Later in Game 4, the Eagles were down 21-20 when Main served six consecutive points, including a game-winning ace, one of two in the stretch.

Berry said Paradis and Taurine Main deserved credit for stepping up against Morning Star.

“I feel like they showed a lot tonight, coming in and getting a chance to play in the varsity match,” Berry said. “They took care of their business.”

Gregory said despite some errors, it was a big win for Mayflower.

“I’m glad we won. It’s a conference match, so one step closer to state,” Gregory said.

Mayflower will play host to Little Rock Lutheran on Thursday.