Consistency keys Cullman Christian to sweep of Hanceville:
GDW Analysis:
Cullman Christian School got to play its first volleyball match of 2024 on its new wooden floor.
The floor arrived at CCS in June and has gone through the process of getting it set so the 1A school that is now sanctioned by the AHSAA can play home assignments in volleyball and look forward to the opportunity when basketball begins soon.
Thursday, CCS had Hanceville as its opponent in the history making event.
The Lady Lions earned a sweep of Hanceville in 59 minutes, winning 25 to 10, 25 to 15 and 25 to 22.
Gameday Weekly analyzed the encounter with CCS being consistent throughout each set.
Like their nickname, the Lady Lions roared. Three straight service points from Jerrica Bell put them up 10 to 4. Lila Sellers made her impact for coach Sydney Rowell. Sellers tallied a kill and then three straight points on serve with an ace. CCS upped the spread to 15 to 7.
Four straight points provided by Rylee Stubbs kept the home team in consistency. Katelee Blalock then ended the opening set with three in a row, two serves Hanceville could not handle.
Hanceville trailed early in the 2nd set, but managed to stay close to the Lady Lions. Karys Henderson scored a couple from the service line with Alex Twitty hammering away near the net on three kills and two service points.
A net serve was a point for CCS in going up 21 to 15. The Lady Lions then got two kills by Blalock off serves from Zoe Powell.
CCS led 2 to 0 and set itself in sweeping the visitors from just down the road.
Hanceville went ahead in Game 3 at 5 to 3 and 6 to 3 from good serves by Eden Clements. An ace by Henderson sent them up at 9 to 7.
CCS managed to tie the score before Hanceville led 13 to 12 on a volley by Aliyah Twitty while her younger sister was serving.
A turning point would be when a score for Hanceville was reversed by the officials in speaking with the line judge on the side near Hanceville's bench.
Instead of being down 19 to 18, Hanceville was looking at a 20 to 17 deficit.
A block from Alex Twitty and a serve from Henderson had Morgan Hammock's Lady Bulldogs within a point at 23 to 22.
A kill by Stubbs and a score off a serve by the Lady Lions, giving them victory in their first time to play on the new floor the facility now has.
The match ended at 6:08 p.m.
Hammock made a decision to promote freshman Madeline Watwood from the JV to the varsity for the meeting against CCS. Watwood showed steady play from the back row and in serving the ball. Watwood had shown a solid effort early in the week for the JV when she scored 12 straight points on serve.
The next time CCS gets to play at home will be next Thursday in an Area 13 assignment with No. 1 ranked Addison.
Hanceville will try to stop a 5 match losing streak for the week Monday when Holly Pond and Cleveland comes to Lane Horton Gym for a tri match.
Photo of coin toss between Hanceville and Cullman Christian School Thursday. Captain for Hanceville is Makenzie Twilley. Captains for CCS from left are Gracie Stidham, Rylee Stubbs and Jerrica Bell.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
