It’s five down, 15 to go for Panther volleyball.
After starting their season with three straight wins, on the week of Aug. 21 Franklin sought to keep their streak alive with matches versus Hayesville and East Henderson. With 3-0 wins over both, Bekah Brooks’ team completed their first two weeks having lost just a single set.
On Tuesday, Aug. 22, the Panthers traveled to Hayesville for a nonconference matchup with the Yellow Jackets. There, junior Ryan Green came out firing for Franklin, posting five early points including three kills and an ace. After erasing a 7-2 deficit to tie the set at 9, the Jackets were dominated by Franklin from there, who got two kills and a block from junior Cali Queen en route to a 25-14 win.
Hayesville regrouped to start the second set, controlling its first seven points to go up 5-2. The Panthers would soon turn the tide however, getting three straight aces from junior Kyrah Bowles to retake the lead, 11-7. Despite a brief run from Hayesville to cut their deficit to 17-16, Queen again helped slam the door on the Jackets, posting three kills and an ace to help win the set 25-19.
Hayesville again looked sharp to start the third, splitting its first 10 points with Franklin 5-5. Again, the Panthers pulled away however, building a 20-14 lead behind five points from Bowles. Queen posted three of Franklin’s final five points to cement a 25-18 victory.
After dispatching Hayesville, on Thursday, Aug. 24 Franklin returned to Tom Raby Court for their first Mountain Seven Conference match. After twice beating East Henderson 3-0 last regular season, the Panthers again jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, forcing an Eagle timeout behind two points from junior setter/right side hitter Emma Ledford. The set’s result was never in serious doubt the rest of the way, as Franklin turned four points from Green and five points from Queen into a 25-14 win.
The Panthers kept rolling to start the second, building a 9-3 lead behind two kills from Bowles. East quickly regrouped from there, winning five of the next seven points to make it 11-8. Queen quickly slammed the door however, posting Franklin’s next four points en route to a 24-15 victory.
Up two sets to none, the Panthers kept their foot on the gas in the third, winning its first eight points behind two aces from senior setter McCall Sanders. From there, sisters Jacelyn and Jocelyn Rios put the match on ice, with Jocelyn posting two kills and Jacelyn recording the last four points of a 25-4 Franklin blowout.
The 5-0 Panthers continued their Mountain Seven Conference schedule against Tuscola after press time Aug. 29.