After a long off-season that began shortly after an October 31st lost to Hackett in the Class 3A state final, the Paris Lady Eagles opened the 2021 high school volleyball season on Monday at Russellville. Paris defeated the Lady Cyclones in three straight sets, 25-19, 26-24, and 26-24. Tonight, the Lady Eagles will return to the road to play their second match of the season, this time at Lavaca against the Lady Golden Arrows. .
The Lady Eagles return the nucleus of a sophomore / junior team from a year ago that finished as state runner-ups. This year’s team is talented, deep, and experienced, and the Lady Eagles are off to a great start in the 2021 campaign. Paris opened the season Monday on the road at Class 6A Russellville and will have another big road game tonight in Lavaca before returning home on Thursday of this week for their season home opener against at tough Class 7A Fort Smith Southside team. The first week is all about getting the team ready to open conference play in just the second week of the season when they again go on the road to play a tough Charleston Lady Tigers team at Tiger Center. The veteran Paris team, coming off of a summer in which the team worked hard and played hard at multiple camps throughout the state and region, appears to be ready for the season and has started the year in mid-season form.
The effort of the Lady Eagles has been exceptional and the team appears to be “running on all cylinders.” The addition of senior Jacee Hart as setter and the emergence of Melanie Lo as a “lights-out” defensive specialist as the team’s libero has put the finishing touches on a team that is tall and athletic on the front line. More so than perhaps they have been over the past three season, this year’s edition of the Lady Eagles may be the most complete team on a position-by-position basis than any of their predecessors. And now, add to the Lady Eagles’ team a spirit of determination and hustle that is quickly defining this team with great effort and communication and “buy in” as their coach, Jordan Devine, admirably says when she comments about and describes her team. After Monday’s win at Russellville, Coach Devine commented, “I’m just so proud of the girls! They have really bought-in and have improved so much!”
On Monday, Paris traveled to Russellville to open the season. The Lady Eagles led from start to finish in the first set and won in dominating fashion. The next two sets were very different. Paris won the second and third sets, both by the scores of 26-24. Russellville battled in both sets, but in the end, the Lady Cyclones did not have an answer for the front line of Paris. The match was highlighted by a dramatic save where junior Brailey Forst dove on the floor near the scorers’ table to keep a ball alive, and senior Alyssa Komp was then able to make a dramatic save that returned the volley on the third hit. The save was indicative of the effort and intensity of the Lady Eagles. If they keep this focus, combined with their talent and experience, it should be a very good year for Paris volleyball.
Thursday’s home opener versus Southside will be a huge test for Paris. A year ago, Paris traveled to Fort Smith and were beaten soundly by the Lady Mavericks. Southside is a very good volleyball team that produces collegiate talent every year, and the match at Paris Gymnasium should be a good measuring stick to how much this team has improved with the experience and work they have invested since last year. It will be a big test in front of the home fans, and the Lady Eagles must play well and with great intensity to win the match.
Photos from Monday’s match at Russellville are now available on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. Resident Press will be in Lavaca tonight for the Lady Eagles’ next match against the Lady Golden Arrows. Look for a recap of that game in Resident Press on Thursday evening.
The Lady Eagles are flying high to start the 2021 season, and they will need to keep the same high altitude to navigate their way through a tough first week of non-conference play and into next week’s conference opener at Charleston. Stay with Resident Press for complete coverage all season of Paris volleyball!
See you tonight in Lavaca!
Wednesday, Paris again played on the road, this time at Lavaca.
