NEDERLAND — Starting the season 2-6 in a Pearland tournament did not concern Nederland volleyball coach Allie Crommett very much.

“We really like to schedule a tough preseason because I like, just like in this match, for my team to overcome adversity early in the season so we can make adjustments for when we get to district,” Crommett said Tuesday following a three-set win over Hardin-Jefferson. “I feel like we’re making those adjustments a lot earlier than we did last season, and I feel like we’re settling into a tempo a lot earlier than we have in the past.”

The 2018 Bulldogs overcame a 1-10 start to make the 5A playoffs. The 2019 Bulldogs gained some confidence from taking on the tough competition and managed to finish out a 25-20, 25-21, 26-24 sweep in their home opener.

Karley McGill scored the last two points to finish off the victory. She had nine kills.

“I just knew I had to work for my team really hard because, I mean, that’s what we needed,” McGill said.

For Nederland (3-6), Jenna Brekel finished with 21 digs, while Kamren Savarino totaled 26 assists and Sydney Nelson made 11. Hannah Hickey and Katie Perez each had eight kills.

Nederland was up 17-10 in the third set before H-J tied it at 18-all and eventually took a 24-23 lead. A big hit from the Bulldogs’ left side tied the match.

“I could tell we were all down at first, so I knew if I got one kill, we’d be hyped again,” McGill said.

Hardin-Jefferson dropped to 4-7.

SABINE PASS 3, CHESTER 1

At Sabine Pass, Jamesia Jones’ eight digs helped the Sharks (4-3) dominate most of their four-set match with Chester.

Nevaeh Jones, Kayla Dominick, Joanna Smolsky and Charnel Jones each had four kills for the Sharks in a 25-15, 25-17, 22-25, 25-11 win. Brooklyn Dixon scored four aces, Nevaeh Jones had three and Smolsky delivered two.

Sabine Pass coach Andie Myers felt her team came back “10 times stronger” after the third set got away, as she described, with serve-receive issues.

The Sharks will host former UIL rival Bob Hope next Tuesday.

PNG 3, GALVESTON BALL 0

Liz Bolyard registered 15 kills Tuesday in helping Port Neches-Groves to a 25-17, 25-18, 26-24 home rout of Galveston Ball.

Bolyard also had nine digs and two aces for the Rock-A-Noos (5-6). Kasidee Sartin collected nine digs and two aces, Paxton Shults seven digs and two aces, and Breeana Riggs two aces.

PNG will begin play Thursday in the Dickinson tournament.

Also Tuesday, Little Cypress-Mauriceville beat visiting Memorial 25-15, 25-9, 25-17.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews