There’s no night like Parent Night to pick up a win.
Upon recognizing the support of their folks, the Big Sandy varsity and junior varsity volleyball squads each swept visiting Box Elder Thursday night. The victory is the first on the season for the varsity girls after a harrowing start against the division’s top contenders.
Senior Amiya Griffith led the Pioneers with 7 kills and underclassmen Caydence Pleninger and Malaysia Baumann each served up 4 aces in a 25-19, 25-9, 25-17 varsity victory.
“That was pretty exciting for Malaysia because she really just got brought up to varsity (a week earlier),” said Big Sandy coach Brittany McKenney. “The energy was back up. The girls were just having fun and relaxed. When they relax and play, they can be really good. It was time for a W.”
Senior Alicia Bjornestad contributed to the win with the team’s only block and all 10 assists.
Griffith and Tavie Wortman each tallied a dozen digs.
“They just really built each other up … and really flowed well together,” McKenney said.
The big win boosted Big Sandy (1-5) after a slow start to the season.
The Pioneers notched their first set victory after starting with four straight sweeps when they traveled Sept. 4 to Stanford. The Denton-Geyser-Stanford Bearcats prevailed 25-15, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19, in that one.
Big Sandy held high hopes hosting Geraldine-Highwood Sept. 8 after playing nail biter matches against the Rivals last season. The guests rolled in this season’s first meeting, however, 25-11, 25-14, 25-14.
“It’s like we were here but we weren’t really (there),” McKenney said. “I don’t think we came with our ‘A’ game … my hope is when we play them there, we really show up the next time the way that I know we can.”
Bjornestad and Laynee Ophus each led Big Sandy with 5 kills and 6 assists apiece against G-H. Wortman, Angie Sant and Noelle Beirwagen each recorded an ace. Wortman led her team with 8 digs and Sant did, too, with a pair of a blocks.
The Lady Pioneers hit the road this week as the home-and-home series with Hays-Lodge Pole has flipped from the original schedule. Big Sandy will now travel for Friday’s match and the Thunderbirds will come Oct. 10 to Big Sandy. The Pioneers travel Saturday to Chester-Joplin-Inverness. The next home match is slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 facing Dutton-Brady, after a Sept. 26 trip to North Star and an Oct. 1 visit to Chinook.
