Lady Bulldogs overwhelm Lady Highlanders in final home volleyball appearance

DECATUR — The junior high A and B and varsity volleyball teams returned to Peterson-Owens Fieldhouse on Oct. 4 for the Decatur Lady Bulldogs’ final home appearance of the 2022 volleyball season. Just as the season started with a 3-2 win over the Gentry Lady Pioneers, the season ended in the same way with a trio of wins in Decatur.

The three Lady Bulldog teams squared off against the Lady Highlanders from Eureka Springs in a conference showdown at Eureka Springs on Sept. 6. Decatur took all three contests in straight sets. These Oct. 4 contests ended in much the same fashion.

The junior high B team was up first and had its hands full as the Lady Highlander B team kept pace in the early going of the first set. Fortunately for the Decatur team, coach Cali Lankford had enough players to rotate players in and out, keeping a fresh group of kids in play, as opposed to the Eureka Springs coach who just had enough to make a team.

As time wore on, the Lady Bulldog B team walked away with both sets, 25-17, 25-11, to continue its four-match winning streak.

The junior high A team had a much easier time in its match and quickly defeated the Lady Highlander B team in two sets, 25-5, 25-2.

Just before the start of the varsity contest, the Decatur Lady Bulldog team and fans alike took the chance to show their appreciation to the only senior member of the team, Anette Hernandez. This was the final time Hernandez would play before the hometown crowd and the final time to play at Peterson-Owens Fieldhouse, the same place she started her volleyball career in 2018.

When the fanfare was complete, the Lady Bulldogs settled down to business for the final time at home.

The first set was full of excitement as both teams played hard and had several long volleys throughout. It was Decatur that came out on top, winning the first set, 25-20.

From this point on, it was all Decatur as the team went on the offensive and crushed the Eureka Springs Lady Highlanders, 25-7 and 25-11, to win the conference match.