After summer volleyball camps, preseason practices and a Red vs. White intrasquad scrimmage; Mansfield was ready to play a real game. Well, not quite a real game, but it was as close as you could get. On August 19, Ozark came to town for a AAA sanctioned benefit game.
Neither a win or lose outcome would’ve made a tally mark on the Lady Tigers’ 2025 schedule. Benefit games are not considered for official results. Yet, Mansfield took it seriously. Their on court demeanor and overall play indicated that. So did Ozark’s.
As is usually the case when the lights come on, Mansfield rose to the occasion. Behind an attacking offense and a well positioned defense, the Lady Tigers gouged the Lady Hillbillies 25-12, 25-21 and 25-18 for the 3-game sweep.
Senior Kaylee Ward was impressive with 8 kills and multiple blocks. The four year starter played all the way around the court offering digs off the back row as easily as downhill hits at the net.
A pair of Mansfield sophomores also shined in the season kickstart. Adeline Godwin did a bit of everything as a consistent server, setter and front row hitter. Miley Clopton got on a roll early putting two quick points on the board with aggressive swings at the net.
Mansfield controlled the first set with relative ease. Godwin sustained a six serve sequence allowing the Tigers to build a 7-1 lead before the Ozark sideout. Ozark struggled to string together rallies. Mainly because Clopton manufactured four kills within the next nine scores.
Mansfield sophomore Abby Smith had a pair of aces in the first set. Godwin had three aces, a kill and an assist to keep the pressure on in the frame.
Ozark had a small flurry midway through the opener squeezing Mansfiled’s lead to 13-9. However, Ward rallied the troops backing up senior Daisy Nelson’s service rotation with a pair of consecutive heaters.
Ozark spaced out only two more winners in the final nine rallies of the first set. The Hillbillies scored on a Mansfield error and a well placed shot down the line. However, their own service error gave Mansfield control at 24-12. Then, Smith drilled her second ace to end the first at 25-12.
The second set was much closer. Eight different times the score was tied and 14 times the differential was only a point.
Mansfield seemed to lose focus over a couple of stretches before regaining momentum by the end. That and Ozark simply played better. The Hillibillies had a five point rally early in the set and a six point assault deep into the stanza. It was the Hillibillies’ second elongated series that put the visitors ahead 18-20. A cross court smash by Mansfield junior Danielle Lowery won back the ball and ended the Ozark threat.
Bailey Quick, another player from a deeply talented Lady Tiger tenth grade class, served up a point to change the momentum. Ward powered-played three of the final five points to give Mansfield the second set 25-21.
Mansfield was obviously finding its way with some lineup changes and a hefty 10 player rotation. Ward and Godwin bookended the front row to start. Senior setter Kamryn Infalt lined up between the two hitters to open the night. Smith and Clopton formed the back row with Nelson taking position as libero.
Juniors Ashlynn Whittaker and Whitley Boyd found minutes on the right side. Lowery rotated to the middle on a regular basis. Quick rotated in as a defensive specialist and primary server.
Godwin made fast work of an Ozark serve to start the third set. The all-around player made the kill for the first point of the final set and served for its second. Mansfield raced out to a 4-1 lead before Ozark punched back. The Hillbillies won three of the next four opportunities to get the score manageable at 5-4.
Boyd scored on a push shot giving teammate Infalt runway for a four serve sequence. The senior server dropped two of those four in a hole of the defense for a pair of aces.
Ozark kept within a 1, 2 or 3 point margin for much of the set. Mansfield’s Smith took serve at 15-12 and promptly dialed up a pair of aces for a 17-12 surge.
The Hillbillies never caught fire again. The purple pride failed to keep serving more than one point at a time until a string of two cut their deficit to 23-18.
Lowery loomed large with a block at the net to give Mansfield back the ball at 24-18. Quick made the final serve as Ozark tried an attack. Ward’s 6’ 4” framed blocked the attempt back across the net giving Mansfield the win and the match.
Mansfield also won the JV contest prior to the nightcap. The Lady Tigers took the entertaining earlier match 25-19 and 26-24.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
