By GALE CAVNESS
pressbox1.com

DYERSBURG - In a "win-win" situation for both teams, Dyersburg Middle School played host to Three Oaks in volleyball competition Thursday night.

The homestanding Lady Trojans, the defending West Tennessee Athletic Conference and Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association state champs, coasted to a 25-6, 25-15 win over the Lady Eagles in a quick match. But Three Oaks, a young team in a building program, gained valuable experience against the DMS squad.

"Our girls are getting better all the time," Lady Eagles head coach Montrey Moore explained. "The teamwork, the serves, the communication, it's all getting better.

"And we can't help but get better playing good competition."

Dyersburg got back into the win column after suffering its first losses of the season at traditionally-tough Brighton. The Lady Cardinals dished out a doubleheader setback, leaving DMS with a 5-2 slate after Thursday night's triumph.

The DMS B-team also posted a win, besting Three Oaks 25-11 and 25-12.

"We served real well," Dyersburg head coach Bubba Cobb said of his A-team effort, "But our net game was off. Still, it's good to get back in the win column."

The Lady Trojans jumped to a 7-1 lead, then increased the margin to 11-4 with Rachel Gauldin to serve. Before Three Oaks could regain control, DMS was up 20-4.

"Rachel has been playing some awesome volleyball," Cobb said. "She had an outstanding night at Halls and continued her excellent play again tonight."

Cobb was equally pleased with the service work from Sydney McNeill, Claire White and Mary Evelyn Peckenpaugh.

The Lady Trojans also got a lift off the bench with Shelby Andrews returning in limited action. After suffering an ankle injury in an early-season outing, Andrews entered Thursday night's opener as a sub with DMS up 20-6 and went to the service stripe. Five consecutive points later, the home team had wrapped up the win in the first game.

According to Cobb, she should be at full strength next week.

In the second game, Dyersburg got an early lead and broke it open with a four-point run that pushed the cushion to 20-10.

It was a game of swap-out the rest of the way.

According to Moore, her squad has been working hard to improve and the effort is showing.

"We've been working really hard to get three hits on offense and we've accomplished that," she said. "And we've worked hard the last two days on our serves."

Of the 21 players on Moore's roster, most are first-year performers.

Moore singled out Kelly Burns, the team's only three-year player, for her efforts.

"Kelly is a real hard worker and a great leader," Moore said.

Keanna Wilson and Bethany Alexander also received high marks from Moore, as did Winter Evans, Tiffany Lewis and Kodi Henson.

"We're young, but we've been working really hard," she said. "We've improved dramatically. If we keep getting this kind of effort, we'll get a win at some point this year."