BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County volleyball celebrated Senior Night in style with both varsity and junior varsity victories over Tolsia on Oct. 14, before falling to Johnson Central in the 57th District championship at Martin County High School on Monday night.
The Lady Cards dominated the first set against Tolsia, jumping ahead 9-3 before cruising to a 25-12 win. In the second set, Martin County battled back from a 14-10 deficit to edge out a tight 26-24 victory. Raegan Horn reeled off seven straight service points in the third to seal the 25-16 win and complete the sweep.
Head coach Krista Runyon said she’s proud of the seniors who have helped shape the program.
“I’m really going to miss these seniors,” Runyon said. “They make up most of the varsity squad. It’s been a great three years with them.”
Runyon credited her team’s composure in key moments.
“They tend to do well under pressure,” she said. “They pulled out a big win after getting down.”
Horn said the night was especially meaningful for the upperclassmen.
“It feels awesome to win on senior night,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of tough challenges. We worked through and continued to work together and stay positive.”
Horn said leadership helped the team rally when it mattered most.
“We had momentum in the second set after falling behind, and our leadership pushed us through.”
Fellow senior Kristin Preece said the team’s chemistry played a major role in the win.
“It’s sad to leave the younger girls,” Preece said. “This team is like sisters. Our experience helped us get this win tonight. We played our positions and stayed focused.”
In junior varsity action, Bailey Parsons sparked a strong performance with eight straight service points as the Cards won 21-12 and 21-13 to take the match.
The Lady Cards carried their momentum into the district tournament but came up short against Johnson Central in the championship round, falling in straight sets (25-19, 25-10, 25-18).
