Lady Trojans open postseason with sweep

Dyersburg's Taniyah Brooks goes up for a kill during the Lady Trojans' sweep of Westview in the quarterfinals of the District 13AA Tournament at Dyer County High School in Newbern on Monday night.

Photo/Jason Peevyhouse

By JASON PEEVYHOUSE

Sports Editor

While most of the rest of the Dyersburg High School student body are enjoying their Fall Break, the Lady Trojan volleyball team played the first of what it hopes will be its most important games of the year as the black and gold opened the District 13AA Tournament at Dyer County High School in Newbern with a three-set sweep of Westview in the quarterfinals on Monday night.

Though Westview scored first in the opening set, Dyersburg rattled off seven straight points to answer thanks to kills from Preslee Quertermous, Addie Gatlin and Taniyah Brooks. The Lady Trojans were able to keep their lead hovering around six points through much of the opening frame as Quetermous and Bella Turnage added kills later in the frame. A pair of Kate Schroeder aces to end the frame gave Dyersburg a 25-19 win in the opening set.

Despite kills from Addie Gatlin and Quertermous, Westview was able to hold the lead through the early going of the second set. A timeout helped the Lady Trojans take the momentum as Turnage and Kalli Maclin added kills to put the black and gold up 14-9. The Lady Chargers got a couple quick points but Dyersburg ended the set on a strong note. Four straight aces from Avery Gatlin where the foundation of an 11-0 run by the Lady Trojans to end the frame, capped by another ace from the freshman libero to seal the 25-11 win to go up two sets.

The Lady Trojans continued the momentum into the third set, opening with a 5-1 run. Westview cut into the led but Dyersburg got kills from Brooks and Maclin as well as a block and a kill from Addie Gatlin to take a 17-10 lead late in the frame. Addie Gatlin added an ace to go along with a Maclin kill to build a 12-point lead on the way to a 25-16 win by the Lady Trojans to take the set and the match.

Dyersburg returns to action on Tuesday when the Lady Trojans take on Crockett County in the District 13AA Semifinals at 6:30 p.m. at Dyer County High School in Newbern. The winner of this match will play for the district championship on Thursday and also advance to the Region 7AA Tournament next week.