Hornets swarm to fifth straight victory

    By: Shelia Mader     

The Cottondale Lady Hornets are quickly proving themselves as a force on the court. Tuesday night, they traveled to Quincy to face off against Gadsden County and returned home with a dominant three-set sweep. The victory marked their fifth straight, boosting their season record to 5-1, with their only loss coming in the season opener against cross-county rival Sneads Lady Pirates.

With strong leadership from their coach and a dedicated group of players who continue to elevate their game, the Hornets are finding their stride. They opened the night with a 25-16 win in the first set before closing the door with back-to-back 25-15 victories.

Taliah Peterson paced the Hornets in attacks, picking up 15 digs, while Anslee Kelly chipped in with eight. From the service line, Anna Claire Speers was nearly unstoppable, delivering 14 ace serves to keep the Jaguars on their heels.

Cottondale showed impressive balance on defense, with six players each recording three digs; Peterson, Kendall Benefield, Speers, Ava Gilbert, Annelise Skipper, and Kelly. Gilbert was in full command, dishing out an outstanding 28 assists to fuel the Hornets’ attack. Benefield anchored the serve-receive game with 13, while Skipper added nine.

The Lady Hornets have settled into a winning rhythm, and with momentum on their side, they’ll look to keep their hot streak alive as the season unfolds.