Buffalo cages Lady Panthers

Face-off! BHS’ Samantha Adkinson and Shelby Ballard meet Oakwood’s #12 at the net. Van’Go’photo The Lady Bison have been hard at work this week, playing almost round-theclock pre-season volleyball.

BHS vs OAKWOOD

On Tuesday, the BHS varsity girls hosted the young Lady Panthers of Oakwood.

In Game One, TiOnna Adams had a strong service run early, building a 7-1 lead for BHS that Oakwood was never able to overcome. BHS won 25-12. Game Two was a different story. The teams were tied early, then Buffalo jumped ahead 7-3 on Adams' next serving run. Oakwood fought back to 8-7. Buffalo again pulled ahead, but Whitney Hicks led an Oakwood charge and the game was tied at 18-18 and 19-all. Kelsey Canady stepped up to the line and put BHS back on top. Shelby Ballard was playing her first varsity match, and Coach Daryl Skelton's confidence in her proved well-justified, as the freshman served out and Buffalo won the game 25-20.

Strong serves by Christina Hudson helped OHS take the early lead in Game Three, but Buffalo tied things up at 5-5. The teams went toe-to-toe from there on, with neither team giving the other more than a two-point lead until late in the game. Finally a big block by Emily Grissett and super hustle by Reagan Read sparked the Lady Bison to a 25-21 win for the match.

Samantha Adkinson led the Lady Bison with 13 service points, 8 kills, 7 assists. Raven Lott served 11 points. Canady had 7 kills and 4 aces. Read had 5 kills and 4 aces. Ballard had 10 assists and 4aces. TiOnna Adams had 12 assists.

This week the Lady Bison are in the Centerville Tournament August 26 and 28, and the Lady Panthers will host them in Oakwood next Tuesday, August 31.