RUSSELLVILLE- After another deep run in the Class 3A state tournament a year ago, Paris fans were eager to see the rebuild in 2023 after the heavy loss of players to both graduation and transfer. The team has made great progress over the summer leading up to Tuesday night’s season opener at Russellville.
But perhaps as a sign of new players playing together for the first time as starters and being counted on heavily for the season, the Lady Eagles got off to a rough start in the first set, falling into a 6-0 score deficit to start the first set. Although Paris would go on to drop the first step, the team competed and kept itself in contention until late in the first. Russellville would go on to win the first set by the score of 25-21. A valiant effort by Paris on the road, but the early deficit was too much for the Lady Eagles to overcome.
Struggles continued for Paris in the second, as the young team playing at a Class 5A school was forced to focus after having things go wrong in the first. Russellville’s back line played very well, saving multiple points by keeping the ball alive for their front-line hitters. The Lady Eagles would battle, but they would be unable to get over the hump score wise, and the Lady Cyclones would go on to win the second set by the score of 25-17.
The tide turned in the third set for Paris with the Lady Eagles starting the set with their first lead of the match. The score seesawed back and forth, but late in the third, Paris was able to maintain and 2–3-point lead and eventually close-out the third with a win by the score of 25-20. The young Lady Eagles had fought back, showing great character, after facing a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Lady Cyclones, and momentum seemed to be shifting back to Paris.
But the momentum shift would be short-lived, and the young Lady Eagles would not be able to win the fourth set. Untimely service errors and problems on the receive would spell defeat for Paris. Russellville went on to win the fourth set by the score of 25-16, and the match by the set score of 3-1.
Paris will again be on the road on Thursday when they travel to Little Rock to play Pulaski Academy. The match will be the second of three road games in the first two weeks of regular season play. Conference play will begin next week when the Lady Eagles return home to play Charleston before again going on the road on August 31 to play at Hackett.
Watch for photos from this match on Thursday on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. RNN Sports will be in Little Rock on Thursday for the Lady Eagles’ match against the Pulaski Academy Lady Bruins.
