By BY BRUCE HIXON – sports editor
They passed both tests, but the Brewton Middle School Lady Tigers volleyball team did so in vastly different ways in Monday's season-opening tri-match at Flomaton.
Brewton had to grind out a 25-20, 25-20 win over the host Lady Hurricanes in the opener. The Lady Tigers then had no problems in the nightcap against Pollard-McCall where they rolled to a 25-15, 25-6 triumph over the Lady Wolves.
The Lady Tigers overcame a 10-point deficit in the second set against Flomaton. Brewton trailed 16-6 before it scored 16 of the next 17 points to move ahead 22-17. Amber Nelson started the comeback with a seven-point service string that also included a pair of aces. Laurel Billy matched that run with a seven-point string of her own on the following rotation.
A defensive point and a pair of points by Leah Brundidge enabled Brewton to cap off the comeback.
Six points by Gerri Samuel and five more by Taylor Guthrie and Haley Brown paced the Lady Tigers to the first set win against Flomaton.
A 16-1 run paved the way for Brewton's first set win against Pollard-McCall. The set was tied at 4-4 when a defensive point followed by a seven-point, three-ace string by Taylor Guthrie put Brewton up 12-4.
The Lady Tigers completed that run when a missed Pollard-McCall serve and seven points, four of which were consecutive aces, by Nelson ran the lead up to a commanding bulge of 20-5.
Brewton ran out to a 15-2 lead in set two and never looked back, as it closed out the match. Brundidge accounted for most of that cushion with a 10-point run that included eight aces. Elizabeth Alhauser concluded that early surge with a three-point run that was capped off by a tipped all for a point by Guthrie.
Later in the set Brewton got three straight aces by Brown that helped wrap up the set and match.
Brewton makes its home debut Tuesday when it entertains W.S. Neal at 4 p.m.