Gilmer Goes 2-0: Feasts on Fannin Drags, Dragonettes

The Gilmer Lady Bobcats junior varsity volleyball team traveled to Pickens High School to take on the Fannin County Lady Rebels and the home team Dragonettes. Gilmer swept both teams sweeping Fannin 2-0 and winning 2-1 in the best of three series against Pickens.The Lady Bobcats began the day as the Lady Rebels second opponent of the day. The round robin match ups saw the first year Fannin squad fall to Pickens 2-0. Gilmer began the first Fannin match down 1-0 after a serve out of bounds; however, the Lady Bobcats quickly rebounded going on a 8-3 run to take a 9-4 lead.

The Lady Rebels responded with a run of its own pulling to within in one, 9-8 after two straight aces from Courtney Combs. However, a kill by Kaylee Voyles sparked a 3-1 run that put the Lady “Cats” up 12-9. Two straight out of bounds on Gilmer brought Fannin back to within one point of the lead. The Gilmer went on a game sealing 13-2 run, featuring Kalin Zagarola scoring aces like the world’s best black jack player. Gilmer won the first game 25-13.

Gilmer began the second game down 3-0 before a Lady Rebels return went out of bounds to give Gilmer its first point. The two teams battled back and forth to a tie at 7-7. A 3-0 run by Gilmer, sparked by an ace from Jade Morris, led to a Fannin time out. The time did not fan the Fannin flames, as another ace from Morris, led to an 8-2 run that gave Gilmer an 18-9 lead.

Fannin was held to three more points, all on hits out of bounds by Gilmer, allowing the Lady Bobcats to finish off Fannin 25-12.

The Lady Bobcats then took on the more seasoned Pickens Dragonettes. In each game the Lady Bobcats built up an impressive lead, only to see the home team chip away at it.
A Pickens ace began the game. Gilmer responded with a Zagarola kill, followed by an ace from Zagarola which gave Gilmer a 3-1 lead. Pickens battled back to tie the game at 3-3.

A carry called on Pickens, followed by two aces by Lady “Cat” Kaylee Voyles, and an out of bounds on the home team led to a 7-3 Gilmer lead. A 9-5 run by Gilmer led to a 16-8 lead by the visitors, and a Dragonette time out.

Gilmer continued to pull away steadily building up a 24-15 lead; however, the Dragonettes came roaring back. Pickens scored eight straight points to cut the lead to one. The Lady Bobcats called time out, and the game was won when the Dragonettes served into the net.

The second game featured both teams battling back forth throughout the contest. With the game tied at 16-16 Gilmer called time out. Gilmer then scored five straight points capped by an ace from Kaylee Voyles, to take a 21-16 lead. However, the Dragonettes once again caught fire, scoring nine straight points to take the game 25-21.

Gilmer started the rubber match down due to a Dragonette ace, but quickly tied the game. The two teams continued to exchange points back and forth until a 5-5 stalemate was broken by Gilmer’s Darby Herold’s ace. The ace sparked an 8-3 run that gave Gilmer a 13-8 lead.

The Lady “Cats” did not let the home team back in the game as Pickens scored only seven more points en route to a 25-15 Gilmer victory.