LITTLE ROCK — Saying her team, “played better than we ever have at a tournament,” Bryant Lady Hornets volleyball coach Beth Solomon gave her team a grade of B for finishing in the top eight at the 24-team Little Rock Spikefest on Saturday, Aug. 28.

Bryant finished second in its pool with wins that included a pair of 7A/6A-Central Conference rivals.

The Bryant White Lady Hornets eighth grade volleyball team of Bryant Middle School came up with a win in the first game of their match against Conway Monday night and they came just a few plays away from gaining a sweep in the second game. But Conway pulled out a 26-24 win in that second game then went on to win the match 15-8 in the third game.

Bryant White won the opening game 26-24.

The team includes Mariah Aguilar, Jayla Anderson, Haley Collins, Claire Henderson, Madison Krick, Taylor Lindberg, Brittany McDonald, Makayla Nguyen, Alexis Parsley, Jessica Reese, Charli Sahr, Sarah Shepard, Abby Staton, and Jordan Tarvin.

“We are getting better every game,” stated coach DeAnna Ward. “I am still trying to get everyone some game experience so I can see what they can do in front of a crowd. Everyone played.

PEARCY — Though they never quite recovered from the rugged start in their first game at Lake Hamilton on Thursday night, the Bryant Lady Hornets freshman volleyball team rallied and gained a little momentum. In the second game, they suffered another slow start. And, again, they rallied to gather momentum. This time, however, they came all the way back to win a thriller, 25-23.

And when they got the best of it at the end of the third game to win a nail-biter, 26-24, the Lady Hornets had surged to their first win of the season, 2-1, on the Lady Wolves’ floor.

Now 1-1, the Lady Hornets host Conway White on Monday, Aug. 30, in their conference lid-lifter.

The Lady Hornets include Jenna Acheson, Aubree Allen, Ashlea Brazil, Ashlee Caton, Stormi Chaloner, Kaley Coppock, Hannah Crouch, Dezarea Duckworth, Kaitlyn Greer, Nocole Guyett, Kayla Jolley, Jacie McMahan, Mekaylah Muhammad, Breanna Sanders, Courtnie Schultz, Becka Shaddon, Erica Smith and Katy Stillman.

The Bryant Blue Lady Hornets eighth grade volleyball team posted its first win of the 2010 season on Monday night at the Bethel Middle School gym, sweeping Rose City 25-6, 25-12.

The team includes Anna Blair, Julie Brazil, Nikki Clay, Brianna Davis, Haley Dellis, Mercedes Dillard, Katelyn Giffin, Sydney Gogus, Emily Henson, Devin Hester, Jamie Jamison, Madison Jones, Camille Langley, Mackenzie McEntire, Rachel Phillips , Rylee Phillips and Allysa Sturgeon.

PEARCY — “We were still a little shaky,” allowed DeAnna Ward, coach of the Bryant White Lady Hornets eighth grade volleyball team after they suffered their second loss in as many outings this season at Lake Hamilton on Thursday.

The Lady Hornets fell 21-25, 15-25 after opening the season on Monday, Aug. 23, with an 18-25, 22-25 loss to Benton.

The team includes Mariah Aguilar, Jayla Anderson, Haley Collins, Claire Henderson, Madison Krick, Taylor Lindberg, Brittany McDonald, Makayla Nguyen, Alexis Parsley, Jessica Reese, Charli Sahr, Sarah Shepard, Abby Staton, and Jordan Tarvin.

By Martin Couch

Photos by Kevin Nagle 

The Bryant Lady Hornets got some measure of revenge against the visiting Malvern Lady Leopards a week after Malvern defeated them in a jamboree match at Benton.

The Lady Hornets powered down 23 kills and five aces against the Lady Leopards to win 25-16, 25-15 then came from behind to take a thrilling 25-23 victory in the last game.

By Martin Couch

Photos by Kevin Nagle 

The 2010 official season opener for the Bryant Lady Hornets volleyball team wasn't exactly what head coach Beth Solomon wanted to see.

Inconsistency on serves, 15 to be exact, doomed the Lady Hornets in a four-game match against the visiting Fountain Lake Lady Cobras.

The Bryant Lady Hornets freshman volleyball team opened the 2010 season by winning their first game over the rival Benton Lady Panthers, 25-23, at the Bryant Middle School gym on Monday night. But, in volleyball, a game does not a match make. Benton came back to win the second game 25-15 then eked out a 25-21 win in the third game to win the match 2-1.

The Lady Hornets, coached by Monica Parish, include Jenna Acheson, Aubree Allen, Ashlea Brazil, Ashlee Caton, Stormi Chaloner, Kaley Coppock, Hannah Crouch, Dezarea Duckworth, Kaitlyn Greer, Nicole Guyett, Kayla Jolley, Jacie McMahan, Mekaylah Muhammad, Breanna Sanders, Courtnie Schultz, Becka Shaddon, Erica Smith and Katy Stillman.

In the opening game, Jolley served the Lady Hornets from points 20 to 24 as they surged to the late lead.

“She had a pretty consistent serve,” Parish noted.

BENTON — As might be expected, the Bryant Lady Hornets had their good moments and their not-so-good moments Thursday night as they played five games against five different opponents at a pre-season jamboree in Benton.

The evening was highlighted by a 25-21 win over 7A/6A-Central Conference rival Mount St. Mary and an extended battle against the defending 6A State champion Lady Panthers of Benton that ended with the host team surviving 30-28.

The Lady Hornets open the regular season at home on Tuesday, Aug. 24, against Fountain Lake. Regular-season matches are best-of-five games.

“To be honest, I think we finished the night on a low note,” said head coach Beth Solomon. “We didn’t finish near as well as I feel like we should have. And the girls kind of felt the same way judging from the things they were saying after we talked.”

The girls started with a 16-25 loss to Little Rock Christian then topped Mount and battled Benton before losing 16-25 to Malvern. The Bryant JV team completed the evening with a 25-23 win over Little Rock Mills.

BRYANT LADY HORNETS

2010 volleyball schedule