Mena gets best of Bauxite
BAUXITE – The Bauxite Lady Miners hosted the top team in the 4A West Conference Thursday at Fred Dawson Gym, falling in a sweep to the Mena Lady Bearcats. Bauxite lost 25-13, 25-7 and 25-17 to the 19-3-2, 10-0 in the West Lady Bearcats. It was Mena’s 10th straight sweep over conference opponents.
“Mena is a complete volleyball team and will again compete for a state title,” Bauxite Coach Dave Carter said. “They built a wall well above the net that we just couldn’t seem to get through or around. I was a little surprised to see our unforced errors were as low as they were considering the score. That stat, though, also reinforced my view that we didn’t play as badly as the score suggested.
“That said, starting with me, we must learn to be as creative as we possible in order to have a chance to win no matter what oppo
nent is on the other side of the net. We dug up some balls that we haven’t in the past, which is growth, yet we still found ourselves out of position at times, only by a foot, yet that is not going to work against the power and speed of teams like Mena.”
Bauxite sophomore Lindsey Cross led the way with five kills, senior Brianna Hardin had four blocks, junior Riley Larkin four digs, and sophomore Victoria Lockhart had three aces.
With the loss, the Lady Miners (9-14-2, 6-4) fall into a tie for third place, but hold their own fate in
their hands.
“We now find ourselves in a three-way tie for third in conference with Magnolia and Malvern,” Carter said. “We play both this week, so we simply need to take care of the business at hand, and that will send us to state. I am excited to see us embrace the opportunity to succeed. These ladies have grown up this year. I’m excited to see them finish strong.”
The Lady Miners will host the Harmony Grove Cardinals Monday in nonconference action before hosting Magnolia, which Bauxite defeated 3-2 on the road in the first match, and at Malvern on Thursday. Bauxite swept Malvern in the teams’ first match.