Tough Lady Lions sweep the Lady Bears

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Tough Lady Lions sweep the Lady Bears

Van Wade The Orange Leader The Orange Leader Tue Sep 07, 2010, 08:41 PM CDT

LITTLE CYPRESS — Going into the 2010 volleyball campaign, long-time Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bear coach Vicki Castino felt that the Livingston Lady Lions were the early favorites to win the district title.

Well, Tuesday night at The Bear Cave, the Lady Lions proved that they are going to be some “tough cookies” to crack as they downed the two-time defending 20-4A champion Lady Bears in three games, 25-19, 26-24, 25-17.

The Lady Lions, who returned eight of their top 12 players this year, used their athleticism to perfection throughout the match and they spread the wealth around.

The Lady Lions opened Game One with a 7-1 surge and held off a late LC-M rally to take the game by six.

The Lady Bears jumped out to a 17-13 edge in Game Two but the Lady Lions responded with six straight points to go up 19-17.

Livingston led 24-21 at one point but the Lady Bears retaliated with three straight points with Kellie Tilley posting two aces to tie it at 24-24. However, Lady Lion hitter Kylie Howard, who finished with a match-high 10 kills, finished off the game with a massive kill.

Livingston controlled Game Three throughout and stretched a 10-7 lead to 21-12 and they finally were able to tame the frustrated Lady Bears.

The Lady Lions finished with 37 kills while LC-M posted 21.

Joining Howard in the very balanced Lady Lion arsenal included McKenzie Criddle, Morgan Lantrip and Cara Leslie.

Criddle finished with nine kills. Lantrip had eight kills, eight points and an ace and Leslie was fierce in two ways, posting six kills to go along with a whopping 14 service points along with five aces.

Mallarie Hearn led the Lady Bear front with seven kills and had three points and an ace. Megan Kemp had five kills while Allison Walker and Michelle Rigsby had three kills apiece. Walker and Rigsby also both tallied six points and an ace apiece. Tilley finished with four points and three aces and Kalyn Harkness had three points and an ace.

The Lady Bears will look to regroup this week when they visit Orangefield in non-district play and they will also compete in the YMBL Tournament in Beaumont.

LC-M will return to 20-4A action Tuesday when they travel to Beaumont Central.

In other non-district action Tuesday night, the Deweyville Lady Pirates hammered out a 25-5, 25-9, 25-14 decision over Sabine Pass at Pirate Gym.

The Lady Pirates (7-6-3) return to action Thursday and Saturday at the YMBL Tournament and will start 23-2A play Friday in Winnie against East Chambers.