Varsity, JV volleyball splits home decisions

Franklin County’s varsity volleyball team split a pair of district decisions last week at home —picking up a victory over Crystal Springs’ Lady Tigers after falling for the second time this season to Saint Andrews.

FC exited last week with an 11-4 overall season mark while improving to 5-2 in 7-3A district play.

The Lady Bulldogs took three-straight set wins over Crystal Springs — 25-12, 25-23 and 25-21 — on Thursday, Sept. 15.

In the initial set, 17 of FC’s 25 points tallied in the victory came on serves with Karlee Wallace and Sadye Scott contributing five points each.

In addition, FC’s Ja’Kya Brown recorded four, Gabrielle O’Quinn added two and Kennedy Washington scored one.

Crystal Springs saw only five service points in the 12 points it scored in the opening set.

Things were a lot closer in the second set, though, with FC’s Niyla Wright leading the way with five service points.

O’Quinn and Washington finished with three and two service points, respectively, and Wallace had one.

Fourteen of Franklin’s points in that particular set came off turnovers by Crystal Springs, which recorded 10 service points and 13 from turnovers by the Lady Dawgs.

A competitive final set saw both O’Quinn and Washington pace the FC effort with four service points each while Wright and Scott chipped in three apiece and Brown had two.

Crystal Springs saw 13 of its third-set points scored on serves while the remaining eight resulted from turnovers.

With last Thursday’s win, Franklin County swept Crystal Springs in the two matches played between the 7-3A district foes this season.

The Lady Dawgs previously claimed a victory on the road over the Lady Tigers — 25-7, 25-20 and 25-13 — on Aug. 25.

In the season’s rubber match against Saint Andrews at home on Tuesday, Sept. 13, Franklin County fell to the visiting Lady Saints, 6-25, 14-25 and 15-25.

FC’s first-set service points were limited to one each from O’Quinn and Brown with four points coming on a limited number of Saint Andrews’ turnovers.

In the second set, Wallace and Wright were credited with three service points each, and Washington paced the Lady Dawgs with three service points in the final set.

Also in that third set for FC, Brown contributed two service points and O’Quinn and Wright had one each.

Franklin County had previously fallen to Saint Andrews — 8-25, 9-25 and 11-25 — on Thursday, Sept. 8 in Ridgeland.

That loss snapped a 10-game winning streak on the season for the Lady Bulldogs.

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JUNIOR VARSITY

The JV Lady Bulldogs claimed a two-of-three sets victory over visiting Crystal Springs on Thursday, Sept. 15 after falling for the second time this season to Saint Andrews on Tuesday, Sept 13 in Meadville.

FC got past Crystal Springs — 25-17, 21-25 and 15-13 — to improve to 11-4 on the season and 4-3 in district play.

In the first set, eight Lady Dawgs collected service points to take the initial victory — Gre’Yonne Queen led with four while Cara Carbery had three and Lauren McCaa, Gabi Hannon, Aniyah Bee, Kailyn Washington, Kennedi Cook and Mackenzie Starks each chipped in one.

The Lady Tigers were limited to six service points in the set.

The second set was seemingly controlled by Crystal Springs, which had 10 service points, with FC held to eight in the series.

FC’s Maddie Moak accounted for three of her team’s points while Sophia Miller and Bradi Wallace added two each and Katie Temple had one.

The JV Lady Dawgs rallied in the third set with Queen putting up three service points, McCaa and Starks adding two each and Kailyn Washington with one to defeat Crystal Springs.

This marked the second time Franklin County has beaten the Lady Tigers with the previous win — 25-7 and 25-9 — coming back on Aug. 25.

Against Saint Andrews on Tuesday, Sept. 13, the JV Lady Dawgs wound up on the short end of 13-25 and 9-25 straight-set decisions to the Lady Saints.

FC’s Miller led with three service points in the first set while Kailyn Washington added two and Queen recorded one. Seven other Lady Dawgs’ points came off Saint Andrews’ turnovers.

Hannon and Miller combined for FC’s four service points in the second set.

The JV Lady Dawgs previously fell to Saint Andrews — 9-25 and 14-25 — on the road in Ridgeland on Sept. 8.

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UPCOMING GAMES

The Lady Dawgs are scheduled to travel to the Warren Central’s round robin tournament on Saturday, Sept. 24 before returning to host a series against Wesson Attendance Center on Monday, Sept. 26.

On Tuesday, Sept. 27, FC will host Hazlehurst and host its “Senior Night” festivities.

The Lady Dawgs will travel to Tylertown to face the Lady Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 29.