By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The visit from the Fayette-Ware Lady Wildcats presented the Millington Lady Trojans with a chance to get even in District 15-2A.
After opening up the district schedule with a win over Haywood, Millington traveled to Covington and Ripley to face their toughest league competition. The Lady Trojans suffered a five-set defeat to the Ripley Lady Tigers going to 15-13 in the decisive frame.
Then Millington was competitive in a three-set loss to the defending champion Lady Chargers on the road. Finally the Lady Trojans returned home Sept. 3 to the William Osteen Gymnasium to play Fayette-Ware.
Millington Head Coach Angie Buchanan wanted her team to be efficient and dominating against the youthful Lady Wildcats. The Lady Trojans took care of business 25-4, 25-3 and 25-6 to improve to 2-2 in district play for the 2019 season.
“The team is heading in the right direction leaguewise,” Buchanan said. “I feel once we can get those folks at home we might be able to get one of them.”
Before the Lady Trojans have rematches with the Lady Chargers and Lady Tigers, Millington headed to the Sept. 6-7 River City Classic hosted by Bartlett and Arlington high schools.
“This weekend is very important,” Buchanan said. “We have very tough games. I want us to continue to get better because we’re going to play very good competition. I’m hoping to continue to improve so when we play our district competition we’ll be a step higher and better than we were a week or two ago. We are getting better.”
Part of getting better is beating a team in decisive fashion when you have the advantage. Against Fayette-Ware Millington used several aces from Fabiola Villa to jump ahead 7-0.
Later in the opening set, the Lady Trojans got points from a Bryuna Jeffries block, Ally Marona kill and serves from Sky Clark and Lexi Peerey.
After the 25-4 victory, Millington surged ahead in the second set with Kayla Dawson serving. Later in that set, Marona took control from behind the serving line with multiple aces.
The Lady Trojans won the second set 25-3 when Kennedy Lamar evaded the Fayette-Ware defenders with a serve hitting the floor for an ace.
Fayette-Ware’s effort got better in the third set with more returns over the net and scoring 6 points. But Millington scored in bunches behind the play of Avery Smith and Allison Kiefer. The serving of Villa and Marona led to the third set victory.
Then it was time for the Lady Trojans to prepare mentally for the River City Classic with their opening day games played at Elmore Park Middle School.
“I want to see that we’re at least competitive, we’re playing hard and we’re not giving up,” Buchanan concluded. “They’re going to be tough teams. It could be a reverse against those team of 25-3. If it is like that, I won’t be happy. We need double digits in every game. That’s what I need to see.”
