VOLLEYBALL: Nashville holds off Lady Indians

The Lady Indians were neck-and-neck with Nashville throughout the opening set of Tuesday's SIRR Mississippi Division volleyball match in Du Quoin, but the Hornettes eventually took control and rolled in the second set for a 25-21, 25-10 victory.

Du Quoin led 20-18 in the opening set before Nashville took seven out of eight points to close it out. The Hornettes won 11 of the last 12 points in the second set, during which the Lady Indians couldn't get much offense set up on their side of the net.

"I think in the second set our passing wasn't where it needed to be," said DHS head coach Jo Dill. "I think we had a lot more over-passes than normal for us, so then we're not passing, setting, hitting, taking teams out of their offense, and we're on defense all the time. I think that was the major difference in that second set."

"The first set I was really pleased with, it was back-and-forth. They were moving, they were talking, they were playing good defense. Rylea McDonald was phenomenal defensively out there. She was everywhere. I thought we played an awesome first game. It really came down to a couple balls that either didn't go our way or came off a block."

McDonald had a team-high 4 digs for Du Quoin. Kenzie Jackson led kills with 4, and added 3 digs, as did Jordan Bullar. Alaina Caldwell had 7 assists and a pair of service aces. Alexis O'Keefe chipped in with 2 kills.

"I'm really happy with some of the things they're doing," Dill said. "I told the girls some of the stuff we've been working on and working on we're finally getting to where we need to be on it."

Nashville's McKenzie McFeron had 13 kills and 7 digs to lead the Hornettes (12-6, 4-1) in both categories.

Du Quoin (4-13, 0-5) hosts Carterville on Thursday night as the second round of conference plays tips off.