McClain Lady Tigers sweep Fairfield in 3 sets

GREENFIELD — After a disappointing first loss of the 2023 season last week to Wilmington, the McClain girls varsity volleyball team rebounded quite well Monday night (Aug. 28) by sweeping visiting Fairfield, winning by scores of 25-9, 25-19 and 25-13.

“I’m really pleased with our overall team effort tonight,” McClain head coach Taylor Alsop said. “I thought it was important for us to come out playing hard to begin this match.” 

The Lady Tigers led from start to finish in the opening set and won in convincing fashion with the 25-8 victory. McClain’s front line of Brenna Wright, Anna Eikenberry, Kylea Toney and Reagan Wisecup were all instrumental at the net with a lot of big hits that the Fairfield girls had trouble returning.

“Brenna (Wright) came out strong tonight and was swinging exactly where she needed to, and Kylea (Toney), Anna (Eikenberry) and Reagan (Wisecup) also played really well up front at the net and also had a lot of very good swings for us,” Alsop said.

In the second game, Fairfield got off to a good start and grabbed an early 9-2 lead, but the Lady Tigers came back to tie the score at 10-10 and went on to win by a little more competitive score of 25-19.

“We tried some different looks in that second set when I had our freshman Ansli Beatty-Shoemaker who is usually up front,playing in the back row some, trying to build on a little more confidence," Alsop said. “I think it's really important that we play a lot of girls in several different positions, especially in a game like this because we have six games this week and might need to change things up some.”

In the third set, McClain only trailed once 5-4, but then went on to outscore Fairfield 21-8 the rest of the way and won easily 25-13 to take the match.

“Anna (Eikenberry) served very well for us and had a couple of big aces there at the end to kind of help close out the match,” Alsop said. “I think we had her for seven or eight total aces on the night, which is pretty impressive.

“This is a great start (four wins in first five games) to begin the season, and I think it shows how hard my girls are working in practice every night to get better. They have set several goals that they are hoping to achieve and they really want to change the culture of McClain volleyball.”

Fairfield (1-4) was without one of their best setters, Kelsey Clark, who was unable to play, but still had some solid play from a couple of players.

“We were without Kelsey (Clark) today who is probably our best setter, and we usually run a 5-1 look around her,” Fairfield head coach Jerrica Stackhouse said. “Our girls are scrappy but very inexperienced with only two seniors with little or no varsity experience.

“We had to play a couple of girls at the setter position who have never played there, and we have just one girl playing right now with any varsity experience.

“I thought Jobey Hatten, who is one of our captains, played very well today and was all over the floor which you can kind of expect that when you see us play," Stackhouse continued. "We really count on her a lot to kind of carry some of the momentum for our team.”

Individual stats for McClain: Serving - Anna Eikenberry 24-25 (7 aces), Lily Barnes 15-18 (3 aces), Kylea Toney 8-9 (3 aces), Brenna Wright 8-9 (2 aces).

Passing - Katie Cook 19-21, Madalyn Giffin 10-13, Sarah Easter 7-9. Attacks - Brenna Wright (14 kills), Anna Eikenberry (11 kills), Kylea Toney (10 kills).

Fairfield was led in kills by Hattan with five, and she also led the team with eight digs, while Mackenie Anderson led the Lady Lions with five aces. Jadi Howland finished with seven digs for Fairfield, and Ally Maynard totaled three aces.

McClain (0-1, 4-2) played at Jackson Tuesday, Aug. 29, falling in the Frontier Athletic Conference match 3-1. MHS lost sets one, two and four by scores of 25-16, 25-22 and 25-16. MHS won the second set at 25-22.

MHS is scheduled to travel to Miami Trace on Thursday, Aug. 31 in an FAC match, before closing out the week with a three-game tournament at Unioto on Saturday, Sept. 2.