Manchester’s Peyton Hayslip (14) dives to the floor for a return attempt in action from the Lady Hounds. win at West Union on September 23. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
Manchester’s Jocelyn Lucas (12) goes up for a kill attempt over the outstretched arms of West Union’s Shelbi Weakley as the two teams battled for five sets last week in SHAC action. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
Manchester’s Abby Lucas, left, recently recorded her 500th career assist, while teammate Kenidee Turner, right, recorded her 500th career dig. (Photo provided)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
After dropping seven matches in succession, Coach Morgan Johnson and her Manchester Lady Greyhounds responded by stringing together three consecutive wins last week to improve their overall record to 5-9 for the season, 4-5 in Southern Hills Athletic Conference action.
The winning streak began in an exciting way on September 23 as the Lady Hounds traveled to West Union for a conference match up with the Lady Dragons. The home team took the upper hand early, winning the first set 25-18 but the ever-improving Lady Hounds bounced back to take the next two sets, 25-14, 25-23. Facing elimination, West Union stayed alive by claiming the fourth set 25-19, setting up the always exciting and decisive fifth set. In that fifth set, it was the Lady Hounds who prevailed, winning 15-9 to take the match three sets tot two.
The Manchester girls rode the momentum from that thriller into a match up two nights later , a conference battle with the Lady Wildcats of Whiteoak, a team they had defeated earlier in the season. Playing on their home floor at the Hound Pound, the Lady Hounds made it two in a row as they easily disposed of the Lady Cats in straight sets, 25-11, 25-15, 25-19.
Riding high, the Lady Hounds were back on their home floor on the morning of September 27, hosting the Sciotoville East Lady Tartans. Again, it was the blue and white coming out on top to make it a clean sweep for the week and win number five on the season. All three sets went the way of the home team- 25-19, 25-13, 25-17.
The Lady Hounds have also recently had a couple of girls reach career milestones. Senior setter Abby Lucas picked up her 500th career assist while classmate Kenidee Turner recorded her 500th career dig.
“I have seen a lot growth and improvement from our girls,” said Coach Johnson. “Their connection with one another has been more apparent and their heart for the game is present. It definitely makes me proud as a coach to watch the progress we have made from August 1 until now, I hope the girls and everyone else notices because it has been remarkable to coach this wonderful group of young women.”
The Lady Hounds face a couple of tough challenges this week, first hosting the Peebles Lady Indians on Wednesday, October 1, then back at home the next evening to face the Fairfield Lady Lions. Both of those matches are conference affairs.
