![Stephenson's Addison Holloway winds up for a big serve against McNair. (Photo by Mark Brock)](https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/athletics/files/2022/08/S15-Addison-Holloway-199x300.jpg)
Stephenson’s Addison Holloway winds up for a big serve against McNair. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Stephenson Lady Jaguars got their 2022 high school volleyball season off to a quick start with a sweep of McNair and Towers in action at McNair on Thursday night.
Stephenson opened the night with a 2-0 (25-3, 25-18) win over the host Lady Mustangs (0-3) to pick up their first win of the new season.
The first set featured a fast 6-0 start by Stephenson (2-0) behind the serving of Morgan Shepard. McNair picked up three points and was trailing 13-3 when Stephenson went on an 12-0 run to close out the 15-3. Stephenson’s Mya Smoot reeled off 11 straight points serving out the set.
McNair got out to a 6-1 lead in the second set as Jada Howard’s block gave them the five-point lead early.
Stephenson began to close the gap from that point tying the game five times including the final time at 16-16. A kill by Jamaya Allen put Stephenson ahead for good at 17-16.
Kiersten Wright put together a couple of service winners as the lead climbed to 21-16. Stephenson outscored McNair 9-2 over the final stretch to take the set 25-18 to close out the match.
![Towers' Sydnee Huff (front) gets a dig against Stephenson as teammate Nelani Pettiford backs her up. (Photo by Mark Brock)](https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/athletics/files/2022/08/T5-Sydnee-Huff-189x300.jpg)
Towers’ Sydnee Huff (front) gets a dig against Stephenson as teammate Nelani Pettiford backs her up. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Stephenson 2, Towers 0
Stephenson completed the sweep with a 2-0 (25-10, 25-20) win against the Towers Lady Titans in the second match of the night at McNair.
An 11-2 run over the final third of the opening set 25-10 win keyed Stephenson’s 1-0 advantage to open the match. Shepard’s serving aided the run as she started with an ace and Jasmine White had a pair of nice plays at the net as the lead expanded to 21-8.
Allen had a service winner to close out the set at 25-10.
Towers battled Stephenson back-and-forth throughout the second set. The Titans won two points on the serve of Iteria Davis to tie the match at 16-16.
Stephenson’s Breona Issac gave the Jaguars the lead for good at 17-16 as she put a nice touch shot into an open spot on Towers’ side of the net.
Saniia Whyte served out the final three points of the match to close out the win.
![McNair's Ashley Gomez serves against Towers. Her serving helped McNair go toe-to-toe with Towers. (Photo by Mark Brock)](https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/athletics/files/2022/08/M1-Ashley-Gomez-190x300.jpg)
McNair’s Ashley Gomez serves against Towers. Her serving helped McNair go toe-to-toe with Towers. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Towers 2, McNair 0
Towers and McNair battled each other throughout the final match as the Titans (1-1) would pull out a pair set wins for their first win of the season.
A service ace by Tiffany Rivers gave McNair (0-4) a 19-18 lead late in the first set but her next serve was just out to allow Towers to make it even at 19-19.
Towers’ Shaniya Lee served out the game for the Titans as she would serve to aces and three winners to close out a 25-19 win to take the lead in the match.
The second set featured six lead changes as the two teams jockeyed for the lead throughout the set. Iteria Davis had a sequence of back-to-back blocks at the net to give towers a 10-8 lead at one point.
McNair rallied back to go up 13-10 behind the serving of Ashley Gomez until a player got into the net to stop the string. Another touch of the net tied the game at 14-14 to give Towers the serve.
Nelani Pettiford served as the Titans pulled out to an 18-14 lead and would never trail again in the match. Tatianna Thomas hit a pair of service winners to extend the advantage to 21-15.
Niana Huai would get the ball to serve out the match in the 25-20 victory to give Towers the win.