Lady Blues earn senior night win over Lady Cougars

Senior night came early this year for the Graham Lady Blues. Rather than wait until the end of the district schedule, the team celebrated their 2022 seniors following the final match before the start of the district schedule.

In a match that featured long rallies and long sets, the seniors were celebrated with a 25-19, 21-25, 25-21, 25-21 win Tuesday, Sept. 20 over the Abilene Cooper Lady Cougars at Graham High School.

Lady Cougars’ junior Jazlyn Hatcher gave the visitors the first of three brief leads held in the opening set with a block kill to open the match. After a serve into the net, Mattie Tibbets scored on a kill for the second lead. Lady Blues’ junior Olga Morales scored her team’s first kill of the match to draw even at 3-3.

Both teams traded points until a kill by Skyla Stark and a swing into the net by the Lady Blues gave the Lady Cougars a 7-6 advantage. A block kill by Abigail Penaperaz gave the visitors their largest lead of the first set at 8-6.

A kill from sophomore Emi Gordy and a block kill by sophomore Braylee Mayes erased the Lady Blues’ deficit. After both teams traded points on three-straight rallies, the Lady Blues took the lead for the remainder of the set with a serve into the net by the Lady Cougars.

For the full story, see the Saturday, Sept. 24 edition of The Graham Leader.