By GALE CAVNESS
pressbox1.com

DYERSBURG - Improved performance turned into a victory for Dyersburg’s volleyball team Thursday, snapping a six-game losing streak with a sweep of visiting Humboldt.

The Lady Trojans (3-8) got off to a fast start and took three straight games in the best-of-five format to get back on the winning track. After racing to a 25-4 win in the first game, DHS wrapped it up with 25-18 and 25-17 wins.

According to Coach David Acree, improved attitudes on the squad played a key role in the team’s play.

"Our attitude is 150-percent better," he explained. "Once the attitude got better, everything got better."

Dyersburg’s B-team opened the evening by taking two straight games and the match from the visitors, winning 25-9, 25-11.

The Lady Trojans have a big day on the slate Saturday, joining 11 other teams in Crockett County for invitational tournament competition. Scheduled to play are Dyersburg, Dyer County, Lexington, Henry County, Jackson North Side, Jackson South Side, University School of Jackson, Bolton, Trinity Christian Academy, Brighton, McNairy Central and the host school.

Play will begin at three sites simultaneously at 9 a.m. Games will take place at Crockett County High School, Crockett County Middle School and Maury City Elementary School.

Results of pool play will determine seeded play later in the day.

According to Acree, good competition and extensive work will only make the Lady Trojans better.

"Saturday will be a work day," he explained. "It’ll be good practice."

The team will be short-handed in the morning with three seniors scheduled to take ACT tests. Everyone should be able to participate in afternoon competition.

Thursday evening, everyone got ample playing time against the Lady Vikings.

Acree used varsity players in games one and three, but allowed his junior varsity squad to play the entire second game.

Stephanie Johnson, a DHS senior, recorded 11 consecutive points from the service stripe at one stretch in the opener with sophomore Finley White booking 10 in a row to open play in the second game.

Hannah Chapman had to get down low to the court to make a nice save during a key stretch in the second game and Anna Claire Bradshaw smoked an ace to help keep DHS on the winning pace in the finale.

"It’s good to get a win," Acree said. "We’re headed in the right direction."

According to the coach, the Lady Trojans made great strides in recent competition against Covington. They couldn’t break the losing streak, but did make improvements.

"We were nowhere near where we needed to be, but we took a step in the right direction," he explained about the clash with Covington.

The club continued to move forward against Humboldt.

Acree said the team had been struggling with serves, getting between 50 and 60 percent in play. He said that number was around 90 percent against the Lady Vikings. Swings, shots intended to get the ball over the net, were better, too.

"We didn’t hit a lot out on swings," he explained. "We got more hits in."

After tangling in tourney play on Saturday, the Lady Trojans travel to Gibson County on Monday. A clash with rival Dyer County is on the slate on Thurs., Sept. 20.