ELLISVILLE – The Jones College volleyball team capped a perfect three-match homestand Monday evening with a straight-set victory over Reid State Community College.
The Bobcats controlled the match from start to finish, taking the three sets 25-13, 25-16 and 25-17 to complete the homestand with a 3-0 record.
Jones finished the night with 40 kills while hitting .289 as a team. The Bobcats also recorded 38 assists, nine service aces, 30 digs and seven total blocks.
"I think the big thing with tonight was, and this is one of the reasons why you schedule a game like this, is you come off an emotional victory the night before and you have to come out with a little bit more mental toughness, a little bit more energy," head coach John Dussouy said. "I think we did from the start. We kind of faltered toward the end, but that's where the sophomore leadership has got to stand up. I was still proud of the effort, but definitely expect a little bit more."
SET ONE
Jones (6-2 overall) established control early in the opening set behind consecutive kills from Selah Sandridge (Madison; MRA) that helped the Bobcats build a 5-1 advantage. Reid State (0-5) pulled within three at 12-9, but Jones quickly answered.
Myah Favre (Pass Christian; OLA) delivered three kills during the ensuing stretch as the Bobcats pushed their advantage to 17-10. Izzi Barnes (Gulfport) then put down a pair of kills, and Amaya Wilson (Olive Branch; Northpoint Christian) added an ace to extend the lead to 22-12.
Barnes added another kill late in the frame as Jones closed out the opening set, 25-13.
The Bobcats recorded 11 kills and hit .250 in the first set.
SET TWO
The second set remained tight early, with the teams even at 6-6 before Jones began to create separation.
A Barnes block followed by a Favre kill helped the Bobcats move in front 8-6. Jones later turned to Jensi Doise (Baton Rogue, La.; Parkview Baptist), who delivered four kills during a stretch that turned a 14-11 advantage into an 18-12 lead.
Favre and Sandridge added kills down the stretch before Doise put away the final point to give Jones a 25-16 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
Jones turned in its most efficient offensive set of the night in the second, recording 15 kills with just three errors on 27 attacks for a .444 hitting percentage.
SET THREE
Reid State provided its strongest push of the night in the third set, using an early run to take a 10-7 advantage.
Jones worked its way back and pulled even at 10-10 on a kill from Jailly Vance (New Orleans, La.; Isidore Newman). The two teams continued to trade points until back-to-back kills from Doise gave the Bobcats a 16-14 lead.
After Reid State tied the set at 16, Jones took control. Doise put the Bobcats back in front before Barnes delivered consecutive kills to extend the margin to 21-17.
An Addyson Sides (Central, La.; Central Private) ace highlighted the closing stretch as Jones scored the final eight points of the set to earn a 25-17 victory and complete the sweep.
The Bobcats finished the third set with 14 kills and hit .205.
LEADING THE WAY
Favre and Barnes shared the team lead with nine kills apiece. Favre hit .286 and added two service aces and a block assist, while Barnes hit .389 with two block assists.
Doise provided a spark off the bench with eight kills on 14 attacks, committing just one error to finish with a .500 hitting percentage. She also added a block assist.
"She is probably the smartest swinger that I have ever signed and brought in, and that is counting my old school as well as now," Dussouy said of Doise. "It is really nice to see her do that, and hopefully that will continue so that it opens up more possibilities for us down the line."
Sandridge finished with seven kills while hitting .286 and added a service ace.
Vance finished with three kills on four attacks, hitting .500 in one set of action.
"She is an extremely athletic player," Dussouy said of Vance. "She missed the preseason, so we are using this as her preseason. My hope and belief is that as soon as she starts getting her legs underneath her, there is no one in this league that is going to be able to stop her."
Sides recorded a match-high four service aces while adding three kills and a block assist.
Claire Wicker (Oxford) directed the Jones offense with 29 assists and recorded the Bobcats' lone solo block.
Keira Hariel (Madison; MRA) added seven assists in two sets of action.
Allynah Lazard (Slidell, La.; Pope John Paul II) led Jones defensively with seven digs, while Olivia Guth (Poplarville; Lakeshore) and Lucy McHugh (Gulfport) finished with six apiece.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats hit the road on Wednesday September 9th for the first ever meeting with Southwest. First Serve is slated for 6 pm.
