Lady Bobcats keep rolling with 2 wins

The Berryville Lady Bobcats picked up a pair of victories on the volleyball court last week, building momentum for the second half of conference play.

The Lady Bobcats defeated Cassville in three sets in a nonconference match on Monday, Sept. 16, winning 25-17, 25-21 and 25-9. The next night, Berryville returned to conference play and swept Gentry by scores of 25-14, 25-24 and 25-16.

“I would say we’re a very well-rounded team at the moment, and we are playing some good volleyball,” Berryville coach Kristin Whetham said Monday, Sept. 23, hours before the Lady Bobcats traveled to Huntsville. “Tonight actually starts our second round of conference play. The first round we went 4-2. So if we can get the same out of the second half, 4-2, or maybe better, you could potentially look at us being the 3 seed (for the district tournament). If we could perform a little bit better and beat one of the teams that we lost to, there’s always a chance for that second seed.”

The Lady Bobcats lost at Prairie Grove and Gravette during the first half of the conference schedule. Both those teams will have to play at Berryville over the next two weeks, starting with Gravette on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Prairie Grove will visit Berryville a week later, on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

The Lady Bobcats’ biggest strength might be their balance, which Whetham said makes them difficult to defend.

In their two victories last week, junior Haleigh Keith had 12 kills. Junior Tessa Johnson and senior Kynadee Hopper added 11 kills each and junior Kaylyn Smith had 10.

“We’re doing a really good job of getting the ball where it needs to be and then taking care of business,” Whetham said.

The Lady Bobcats also have served well, with junior Paige Thurman recording five aces in last week’s matches. Senior Addie Ashford and junior Cara Summers added four aces apiece and Johnson had three.

Thurman and sophomore Kinly Smith each had 15 assists and junior libero Hannah Campbell had 42 digs.