Volley Hounds return to action, dispatch Rutland

VOLLEYBALL TEAMS

  • Madison Maxwell’s play near the net helped the Lady Hounds maintain their advantage against Rutland. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Madison Maxwell’s play near the net helped the Lady Hounds maintain their advantage against Rutland. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
  • Kameron Hardwick extends upward to spike the ball out of Rutland’s reach. BRAD HARRISON/Staff
    Kameron Hardwick extends upward to spike the ball out of Rutland’s reach. BRAD HARRISON/Staff

    Call it rust needing to be knocked off. Call it going against an opponent that was not on the level of this week’s region matches.

    Regardless, the Volley Hounds fought through it last Thursday, toppling Rutland 2-0 with wins of 25-17 and 25-6. With Jade Hipps at the serve, the Volley Hounds closed things out for the first-game win. The second one was more decisive from the start as Jones County raced out to lead 9-2 helped by early service point from Paige Pieterick prior to Nya Warren closing things out from her service position.

    “Any time that you have been sitting and then have to go out and play, it’s a factor,” Lady Greyhounds head coach Lonnie Wheeler said. “Rutland had an unusual format, but once we figured that out, we did fine. Any win is a good win. We were able to clean some things up in that second set.”

    The win over the Hurricanes was Jones County’s first action in five days, but it preceded a key stretch for the Volley Hounds. This past Tuesday, JCHS took on Ola and Warner Robins in a tri-match that was expected to go a long way toward determining seedings for the upcoming region tournament.

    That fact was not lost on Wheeler last Thursday.

    “That’s the hope; I think our team right now is in a good place and playing well together,” Wheeler said. “We’re in a good spot as far as our mindset.”

    Jones County is also scheduled to play this Thursday at Mary Persons and next Tuesday and Thursday at home against Tattnall Square and Peach County.