No. 17 McKinney North spikes Greenville Lady Lions
Oct. 7—No. 17 state-ranked McKinney North showed why the Lady Bulldogs are leading the District 13-5A volleyball race with a straight-set victory over the Greenville Lady Lions on Tuesday in the Lions Den.
McKinney North won 25-19, 25-9, 25-13 to complete a two-game sweep over the Lady Lions and remain undefeated in district play at 7-0. The Lady Lions dropped to 2-5 in district play and 17-15-2 for the season. McKinney North is now 16-8 for the season.
"They're good," said Lady Lions coach Jenna Sickels.
McKinney North also won 25-16, 25-11, 25-6 at McKinney on Sept. 9.
"We played them better the second go-round," said Sickels. "The first go-round we didn't compete at all. At least we competed a little bit."
The Lady Lions stayed to within 21-18 in the first set before Kayli Henderson and Lily Nicholson put away two big kills for McKinney North.
McKinney North built leads of 5-0, 13-6 and 20-8 in the second set as Henderson and Nicholson made some more big plays.
McKinney North built a 4-0 lead in the third set. Katy Traylor and Sydney Walker produced kills to keep the Lady Lions to within 16-8 but Tinley Merder served for a couple of aces as the Lady Bulldogs stretched their lead to 22-8. Sydney Walker answered with an ace for the Lady Lions and Greenville closed to within 22-11 but McKinney North won three of the next four points to close out the match.
Sickles noted that the Lady Lions played well in the first set.
"They just can't seem to play at that same energy level," she said.
Traylor and Allie Johnson led the Lady Lions for the match with three kills each and Sydney Walker and Natalie Gibson both finished with two kills.
Sydney Walker set for four assists and Jaxey Walker and Sunny Sickels both set for three.
Caroline Bowers led the defense with eight digs, Johnson recorded seven digs and Jaxey Walker added four.
The rough part of the Lady Lions' district schedule will continue on Friday with a match at No. 6-ranked Lucas Lovejoy. Lovejoy ranks second to McKinney North in the district standings at 6-1, with the only district loss to McKinney North.