Volleyball roundup: PNG takes three from Nederland
Published 2:05 pm Saturday, September 30, 2017
Kameron Cuniff of Nederland attacks against Baylee Priddy (13) and Elizabeth Bolyard (10) of PNG on Saturday in Port Neches. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
Baylee Priddy of PNG sets up for an attack against Nederland on Saturday. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
Elizabeth Bolyard of PNG spikes past Mackenzie MacFarlane and Abbey Montalvo of Nederland on Saturday. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
Skylar Thomassie of Nederland makes a dig during a rally against PNG on Saturday in Port Neches. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
Kaitlyn Gil of PNG sets up as Baylee Priddy serves against Nederland on Saturday. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
Nederland volleyball players celebrate a successful point against PNG on Saturday. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
PORT NECHES — Through six matches, one of them against the chief rival, Port Neches-Groves in unbeaten in District 22-5A volleyball.
Longtime coach Barbara Comeaux just hopes the Rock-A-Noos haven’t peaked.
“I want to believe we haven’t,” she said.
Kaitlyn Gil came up with 19 kills and 11 digs, helping PNG string a 25-16, 25-22, 25-17 sweep of Nederland in a high-noon duel Saturday. PNG (19-5, 6-0 in 22-5A) remains all alone in first place in district standings after knocking off Livingston on Friday and Nederland.
“I’m real proud of these kids,” Comeaux said. “They worked together. They work hard. I thought our kids played with confidence.”
Nederland (15-10, 4-2) was tied with Livingston going into Saturday’s match and was coming off a win over Port Arthur Memorial. The Bulldogs made it tough for the Rock-A-Noos to pull the sweep.
“I thought we played very well the first game,” Comeaux said. “I thought we were off in our focus a little bit the second set, but Nederland had a lot to do with that.”
Libbie LeJeune earned 21 service points, 15 digs and 10 kills. Bayja Newby led the defensive charge with 19 digs, Rachel Hammersmith had 18 assists, Elizabeth Bolyard had five kills and Stalee Adams made two blocks.
For Nederland, Peyton Smith had 14 digs; Abbey Montalvo totaled 11 assists, five digs, five kills and four aces; and Karley McGill had five kills and two blocks.
PNG will visit Memorial on Monday, when Nederland heads to Ozen.
MEMORIAL 3, CENTRAL 2
BEAUMONT — Playing their sixth match in nine days, the Titans rebounded from the loss at Nederland and picked up their second five-set win in five days.
Memorial (14-8, 3-3 in 22-5A) beat Beaumont Central 25-23, 20-25, 11-25, 25-18, 15-12 at Austin Middle School. No statistics were available.
About I.C. Murrell
I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
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