ELIZABETHTOWN – South Columbus pulled away in the final set and edged East Bladen 2-1 Monday in non-conference jayvee volleyball action by set scores of 26-24, 21-25 and 15-4.
The teams battled on even terms for most of the opening set. Sophomore Mollie Tolar captured a pair of service points to pull the Lady Eagles within 14-13, and Zoe Smith knocked in 4 straight service points to edge East in front 18-17.
Sophomore Mary Frances Sutton reeled off 5 straight service points to put East Bladen on top 24-21, but the Lady Stallions fought off a trio of set points as Maddie Edwards served out the set with 4 straight service points.
Four straight service points from Edwards staked South to an early 9-5 lead in Set 2, before East sophomore Martha Simmons broke the set open by winning 10 consecutive service points for a 17-11 lead.
Tolar pushed the lead to 22-15 with a pair of Lady Eagle service points, and Sutton served out the set at 25-21. South jumped to leads of 6-1 and 13-4 in the final set.
Simmons led East Bladen with 10 service points. Tolar and Sutton tallied 6 service points each. Smith finished with 4 service points, and Molly Evans recorded 3 service points. Iveonna “NeNe” Ward added 1 service point.
“We almost had them,” said Lady Eagle Coach Jessica Eason. “The girls played so hard and did so good until that 3rd set.”
East Bladen, now 2-3, will travel to Midway for their Southeastern Athletic Conference opener Thursday at 4:30.
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