By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City volleyball is trending in a positive direction.
Two nights after pushing district-leading Gibson County to the limit, the Lady Tornadoes blanked second-place Milan 3-0 Thursday night at Marty Sisco Gymnasium.
The impressive showing – arguably UC’s best of the season – avenged an earlier shutout loss to the Lady Bulldogs and lifted the Purple and Gold to 7-4 overall.
There were several standouts for the Twister girls, and head coach Jessica Graham continued her recent trend of shuffling her rotation with great success.
“We made a few more changes and we had it working well tonight,” Graham confirmed. “I’m extremely proud of the girls and how they played with confidence. I told Mary Kate Sinclair I needed her serve, and she came in and gave us six aces.
“To say I am proud is an understatement. The girls showed up and showed out. They came in focused and ready to play, and I’m excited to see where this takes us.”
Brianna McBride had a stellar all-around game with 11 digs, seven saves and four service aces. Madie Theobald recorded a dozen assists, and Clare Atwill came up with 11 digs.
Cricket Washburn contributed to the win with five aces and three digs, and Addison Carr filled up the stat sheet with seven digs, five kills, and three saves. Ca’Lae Ervin had five digs and four kills, and Allysia Davis posted a team-high six kills.
Union City plays at Ripley on Monday and visits Carlisle County on Tuesday before returning home for a varsity doubleheader against Halls next Thursday.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 6, Trenton 2
The Lady Tornadoes closed their 2024 season with an exclamation point, finishing over .500 at 9-8 with their third consecutive victory.
Union City went 9-3 in its last 12 games after a slow start to the season.
Sadie Gregg had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Annie Beth Cruce knocked in two runs for the Twister girls in their finale. Winning pitcher Austyn Dilday helped herself with a single and an RBI, and Amanda McPhearson had a hit and scored a run.
Maddie Steward and Averi Riley scored two times apiece atop the UC lineup, with Steward having a single and a ribbie.
Dilday did not surrender an earned run and allowed just three singles to complete the six-inning victory. She struck out eight Trenton batters.