The Sale Creek Lady Panthers improved to 3-0 on the young volleyball season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Red Bank Lionettes Thursday afternoon at Sale Creek.
The Lady Panthers won by scores of 20-25, 26-24, 19-25, 25-12 and 16-14.
Ariana Smith had her best match of the season as the hard-hitting senior recorded 26 kills to go along with 36 digs. Bailey Nelson added 20 digs, 50 assists and five aces for the winners while Morgan Weatherford finished with 38 digs.
In other matches Thursday, Baylor opened its season with a 3-0 win at Cleveland, the Lady Red Raiders prevailing by scores of 25-15, 25-12 and 25-9.
Ally Craig paced Baylor's hitters with 16 kills while Sarah Sumida had 34 assists and Lilly Turner 14 digs.
And the Hixson Lady Wildcats won their first match of the season and the first in District 6-AA with an easy 25-6, 25-10 and 25-4 victory over Brainerd at Hixson.
Sam Dove had a dozen aces and Kiera Taylor and Rachel Cline had nine aces each to lead Hixson.
SALE CREEK STATS:
Ariana Smith -- 26 kills, 36 digs, 2 aces
Madysun Steele -- 11 kills, 1 dig, 3 blocks
Gracie Janow -- 10 kills, 11 digs, 3 aces, 4 blocks
Bailey Nelson -- 1 kill, 20 digs, 50 assists, 5 aces
Morgan Weatherford -- 38 digs, 1 ace
Tayla Willis -- 7 kills, 29 digs, 2 assists, 1 block
Avery Cox -- 27 digs
Sydney Gibson -- 5 kills, 3 digs, 1 assist
Karah Carson -- 3 digs.
BAYLOR STATS:
Sarah Sumida -- 34 assists, 10 digs, 1 ace, 1 kill
Ally Craig -- 4 aces, 16 kills, 1 block, 3 digs
Gabby Gray -- 2 aces, 8 kills, 10 digs
Lilly Turner -- 14 digs, 2 assists
Jane Wilson -- 3 kills, 2 blocks
Denver Rogers -- 1 kill, 8 digs
Kelsey Holden -- 1 ace, 3 digs
Elizabeth Case -- 1 ace, 1 dig
Paris Buckner -- 5 kills
Lexie Laurendine -- 2 kills
Lara Kate May -- 2 digs
Abby McNamara -- 1 dig.
HIXSON STATS:
Dakota Rawiszer -- 3 aces, 5 kills 2 digs, 1 assist
Sam Dove -- 12 aces, 3 kills, 4 digs, 14 assists
Kiera Taylor -- 9 aces, 1 kill, 2 digs
Abby Rector -- 6 kills, 1 dig
Shelby Rector -- 1 kill, 2 digs
Courtney Jones -- 2 aces, 2 kills
Anna Zeigler -- 2 aces
Rachel Cline -- 9 aces, 1 dig
Marly Fitzpatrick -- 2 digs
Sam McKee -- 1 ace, 3 kills, 1 dig, 1 assist
Sydni Byerley -- 1 kill
Gabby Tench -- 1 dig
Blake Burba -- 3 digs
Hope Lockhart -- 2 digs.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)