Mixed Tuesday for Kennett squads

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Ashlee Gore swings at a pitch during Tuesday's high school softball game against Naylor at Indian Park. [Click to enlarge]

Coming off a third-place performance and three extra-inning wins at the Notre Dame SoftballFest, the Kennett Lady Indians hoped to carry that momentum into Tuesday's softball game against Naylor.

It didn't happen.

Kennett managed just four hits and stranded eight runners -- five in scoring position -- as it suffered a 3-0 loss to the Lady Eagles at Indian Park.

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Jody Vancil serves the ball against South Pemiscot during Tuesday's volleyball game at Kennett. [Click to enlarge]

"We struggled today," Kennett coach Laurie Vaughan said. "I was really hoping for a lot more (than) that coming off a great weekend that we had. We did some great things this weekend (but) they didn't bring it today. Naylor did what they had to do to win and we didn't."

Naylor took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, scoring one run on a grounder and another on a steal of home, giving pitcher Chelsea Lane all the run support she would need.

Lane finished with a four-hit shutout, striking out eight and walking two.

The Lady Indians threatened several times Tuesday, putting at least one runner on base in all but one inning and leaving two on in the first, fifth and seventh innings.

"We just didn't get those key hits when we needed them," said Vaughan. "(When we've) got runners on base, we've got to come up with the ways to get the (runs) in. When they get on, we can't continue to leave them on base."

Kalee Gore led Kennett with two hits Tuesday -- one of which was a seventh-inning double -- while Abbi Daniels and Ashlee Gore also had hits, Ashlee connecting for a triple.

"Kalee swung the bat well today," Vaughan said. "You've got to give her credit for that because she keeps battling out there. We had a couple of them that got some hits, but they just weren't all together."

The Lady Tribe is back in action Thursday when it travels to Cape Central.

Volleyball
South Pemiscot def. Kennett
At Kennett High School, the visiting Lady Bulldogs built leads in both the second and third sets and never looked back as they spoiled the Bootheel Conference opener for the Lady Indians, the defending conference champions.

"It is frustrating," Kennett coach Laura Ort said. "But South Pemiscot played well. I give them credit for playing hard."

Ciara Dewrock led the way for the Lady Tribe with nine kills, a pair of aces, three digs and a block, while Audrey Wynne added eight kills and a block.

Taylor Wake added three kills and seven digs, while Mallory Brown chipped in five digs, Jamie Jarrett added three kills, two aces and four digs and Jody Vancil finished with two kills, an ace and three digs.

Chrisie Burrow dished off 22 assists and added a block.

Kennett struggled with its serving Tuesday, as missed serves killed several rallies and kept the Lady Tribe from getting over the hump.

"We broke our own momentum when we missed serves," said Ort. "We didn't give ourselves opportunities because we missed serves."

Girls Tennis
Lady Tribe wins first match
At Dexter, the Lady Tribe swept all three doubles matches and won its first contest of the season against the host Lady Bearcats.

Further results will appear in Thursday's sports section.

Boys Soccer
Kennett 2, Fredericktown 1
At Fredericktown, Blake Wilbanks scored both goals for the visiting Tribe, which won its first contest of the season.

Kennett (1-1) travels to Sikeston today.

Baseball
Cooter 2, Senath-H'ville 0
At Cooter, the host Wildcats got a four-hitter from Jordan Anderson as they handed the Lions their first loss of the fall season.

Anderson struck out nine and walked two while scattering four hits in the win.

Heath Horvath took the loss for Senath-Hornersville, going four innings and striking out five.

Jorge Garza had two hits for the Lions.

Jonathan Boone had a pair of hits for Cooter.