Mayflower volleyball falls to Oak Grove

by Kevin Black and Sean Cavender

MAYFLOWER — Mayflower’s Lady Eagles lost a four-game volleyball match to Pulaski Oak Grove on Thursday, 25-14, 25-18, 20-25, 25-23.

Mayflower coach Traci Berry said her team lacked some intensity, which could have affected the outcome of the game.

“[Oak Grove] just got after it … they played harder and wanted it more than we did,” Berry said.

Oak Grove’s Sherry Murphy outscored the Eagles by herself in the first game, scoring 17 points on her serve to set the pace for the rest of the match.

After losing Game 1, the Lady Eagles played a closer Game 2, keeping it back and forth and tying the game 8-8 before the Lady Hornets took the lead. Although Mayflower was unable to tie the game or take the lead again, the Lady Eagles made a push toward the end by scoring three unanswered points.

In Game 3, Mayflower trailed early, 15-7, but was able to capitalize on several Oak Grove errors and Sam Paradis’ serving, eventually tying the game 16-16. Mayflower scored twice more on kills by Brandy Cunningham and Halee Hensley, taking the Eagles up 18-16. The Hornets then made several errors, returning volleys out of bounds and hitting the ball into the net, allowing Mayflower to take the game, 25-20.

The fourth game featured five lead changes and eight ties. The game was tied 8-8 before Mayflower seemingly took control, building a six-point lead, 18-12. But the Lady Hornets came back thanks to several key serves by senior Destiny Smith, pulling Oak Grove within 19-18. Smith then served into the net, allowing Mayflower to go up 20-18, but Mayflower returned the point with a hitting error, 20-19, before Oak Grove’s Murphy made a critical kill to tie the game 20-20, giving the Hornets the chance to take the lead and control of the game, leading to the victory.

Berry said she was disappointed with the level of intensity after the Lady Eagles lost Game 1 after scoring only 14 points.

“We have to talk about intensity. We just don’t have it right now,” Berry said. “We don’t have the fire right now; we have to find it.”

Mayflower was missing four players from a roster of 12.

According to Berry, their absences were felt.

“We were missing some kids, some starters, and we just didn’t get the job done,” Berry said. “You can’t ever give up … you have to fight and they’ve (Mayflower) got to find it within themselves.”

In Game 3, Paradis served nine straight points for the Eagles, leading them to a 25-20 win.

“I’m very proud of [Paradis], she did a great job,” Berry said. “She’s a great server and a lot of times that’s what we use her for … she got the job done.”

The Hornets were better prepared for the match, according to Paradis.

“[Oak Grove] was ready for it, and we weren’t,” Paradis said. “How they talked, and how they were aggressive about it.”

Paradis said that communication among players on the floor was an issue for the Eagles.

“We tried to talk (calling the ball), and we tried our best, but it wasn’t really our best,” Paradis said. “We could have really done better.”

The Lady Eagles will play at home next Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 4:30 p.m. at the Mayflower High School gym.