Bulldogs win over Sneads on the court
By: Shelia Mader
Sneads has long dominated volleyball across the county, district, and state with double-digit championships over the last two decades. While the Lady Pirates have stumbled some in recent years, they have continued to hold the upper hand locally over Marianna and Cottondale. That streak came to an end Thursday night on the Pirate court, when Marianna secured a four-set victory over Sneads, capped by a thrilling overtime win in the fourth set. Sneads took the junior varsity match in straight sets (27-25, 25-18), but Marianna prevailed in varsity action, winning 25-19, 17-25, 25-22, and 26-24.
For Marianna, Erin Gardner contributed three serves with two points, two good passes, and eight digs. Payton Rutherford had 10 serves for eight points with one ace, two perfect passes, eight digs, and three kills on 11 hitting attempts. Maci Varnadore added five serves for five points, two perfect passes, and two kills on seven attempts. Bella O’Connor chipped in eight serves for seven points, four perfect passes, and nine digs, while Ashley Bryan recorded 10 serves for seven points, eight digs, and a kill on her lone attempt. Lauren DeLoach had nine serves for four points, five digs, 20 hitting attempts with five kills, plus two blocks and five block touches. Kiley Sable finished with five serves for one point, one perfect pass, one good pass, and seven digs. Madi Walker added four serves for three points, a perfect pass, a good pass, and four digs. Sybil Franklin contributed five serves for two points, one dig, 17 hitting attempts with four kills, one block, and two block touches. Rounding out the Bulldog effort, Ava Bragg tallied 10 serves for seven points with two aces, eight digs, and five hitting attempts.
Sneads also put up strong numbers despite the loss. Naryah Dudley led the attack with 14 kills, while Izzy Williams added 12. At the service line, Danika Rogers, LaRay Gibbs, and Morgan Williams each delivered three aces. On defense, Gibbs anchored the back row with 43 digs, followed by Morgan Veilleux with 24, Shaleigh Harrell with 21, Rogers with 17, and Dudley with 15. Veilleux also ran the offense with 30 assists, while Dudley, Gibbs, Harrell, and Rogers combined for nearly 60 serve receives. At the net, Brooklynn Fitzsimmons, Williams, and Dalexis Lewis each recorded blocks to keep Sneads in contention.
The win was an especially meaningful one for Marianna under first-year head coach Joy Hand, who has poured confidence, determination, and a never-quit mentality into the Bulldogs. On the other side, Sneads coach Lacee Glover brought her own perspective, guiding the Pirates with firsthand experience in overcoming tough losses and focusing on building from both wins and setbacks.