Mansfield brought the energy and the fun to West Fork on October 2. In the last volleyball game before the final week of the regular season, it was definitely fun and games for the red and white Tigers of Mansfield as they spoiled senior night for the host Tigers of West Fork.
“We played pretty good last night,” smiled Mansfield coach Kaylie Pyles after Thursday night’s game. “The girls had so much energy. They had a lot of fun.”
The fun was evident by the quick dispensing of the home team black and gold Tigers. Mansfield cruised easily through the three set match with convincing wins of 25-11, 25-7 and 25-12.
Kaylee Ward, Mansfield’s most dominant player and perhaps the conference 3A-1’s most dominant player as well, was a beast. The middle hitter had 15 kills including a behind the back punch out in the third set when the going was as smooth as butter on toast. The All-State senior also had 9 service points, 3 aces, and 2 blocks.
MHS sophomore Kerrington Quick had 11 assists across multiple hitters. In the first frame alone, she dished out three consecutive assists to three different players to close the door on the opening set. Miley Clopton, Danielle Lowery and Adeline Godwin were the beneficiaries of those three setups to end set one.
Kerrington was good from the service line as well. In one stretch through the second set, she had 9 consecutive serves. She also had 4 aces throughout the evening.
Lowery was active across the front line with tremendous net play. The junior had a pair of well timed blocks, a tip, a push, and 4 kills.
Teammate Whitley Boyd was solid at the net as well. The junior offered up resistance to West Fork attacks by positioning potential blocks. Her well placed arms spooked West Fork hitters into making swing errors into the net or beyond the baseline.
Mansfield’s regular rotation of Abby Smith, Bailey Quick and Daisy Nelson made easy work of West Fork’s offensive attempts. The trio of Tigers kept the ball in play with effective passing to the MHS setters.
Godwin circled under several of those passes to offer up 10 assists for the Tiger offense. In the third set, two of her final offerings went high for Ward who responded with emphatic slams past a bewildered West Fork defense. Those two monster jams ended the match giving Mansfield a convincing conference win.
“We need to continue playing at a high level,” emphasized Pyles. “The season is closing fast. We need to keep preparing for post season play and continue to stay focused regardless of the opponent."
For the junior Tigers, victory also came Mansfield’s way. However, the match went three sets with the visiting Lady Tigers having to comeback after an opening 23-25 loss.
Mansfield’s head junior high coach April Howell explained the match this way. “Two different times we had to come from five or six points down. We still almost won the first set. It probably did us some good that we got into that situation. We can learn from the experience. We only have a week left with the district junior high tournament coming quickly.”
The 3A-1 District junior high championship tournament will be October 11 at Elkins. Mansfield has put themselves into a good position as far as conference seedings with only one conference loss and two games to go before the year end tournament.
At Elkins, Mansfield’s prep squad regained momentum with players such as Ava Elmore who “played well and with a lot of hustle”. Similarly, Addalee Hattabaugh was credited as one who “had a good night serving and passing at crucial times”. Behind that type of play, Mansfield took the second set 25-13 and the third set 15-13.
The junior girls’ primary rotation involves freshmen Ellah Heydenreich, Bentley Hoover and Lillianna Porter. Eighth graders Jaiden Black, Vivi Sylva and Allie Hattabaugh are regular frontliners along with seventh grade outside hitter Kinlee Winters.
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