.jpg)
The Parry McCluer High School team picked up two more Pioneer District victories on Thursday, securing a pair of 2-0 wins in a varsity doubleheader at Highland County.
The Fighting Blues improved to 6-2 in Pioneer play and 6-8 overall, maintaining their spot in second place in the district standings with the tournament approaching next week.
PM won the first best-of-three match over the Rams (3-9 overall, 1-7 district) by a 25-18, 25-8 scoreline. Natalie Mohler recorded six aces, six assists and four digs for the Blues, while Tatyana Turner notched five kills and four aces and Keely Mahaffey tallied six assists.
The Blues then collected a 25-11, 25-16 victory in the nightcap. Kadence Zollman posted six kills and three blocks, and Mohler registered 10 assists.
“We tried a lot of different lineups tonight,” PM head coach Jessie Moala said. “The girls did a great job of stepping up and adapting to whoever they were playing next to.”
Several other players contributed to the wins, including senior Savannah Lewis, who reeled off a 10-point service run that “really helped us keep the momentum going,” according to Moala.
After a 1-2 start to district play, the Blues have picked up five consecutive victories against Pioneer foes.
“Overall, I’m very proud of the progress our team has made,” Moala said. “I feel confident that we are peaking at the right time.”
Amherst 3, PM 0
The Blues dropped a 3-0 nondistrict decision to Class 3 school Amherst County on the road on Monday of last week.
The Lancers (6-12), who won 3-1 in Buena Vista on Sept. 18, completed a season sweep of PM, a smaller Class 1 school, with a 25-17, 25-21, 25-18 victory.
Zollman paced the Blues with seven kills, three blocks and seven digs, and Sydney Mahaffey added six kills and nine digs. Mohler totaled 11 assists and two aces, and Keely Mahaffey finished with five assists, two kills and two blocks.
PM was slated to visit Pioneer District leader Bath County last night, and the Blues will conclude the regular season on the road against district rival Craig County on Thursday, beginning with the junior varsity contest at 5:30 p.m. The Pioneer District tournament will get underway on Monday, with matchups and game times to be announced. For updates, visit www.thenewsgazette. com.
