Boyd Christian celebrated its eighth graders Tuesday night with another reason to celebrate: a third straight victory.
The Lady Broncos stayed hot with a 25-11, 25-12 sweep of TN Heat, extending a late-season winning streak that started Friday against Highland Rim and continued Monday against 931 Volleyball.
And once again, Maggie Panter made sure Boyd started fast.
Panter opened the night at the service line and helped the Lady Broncos score nine straight points, immediately putting TN Heat in a hole. It was another big serving performance from Panter, who had opened Monday's victory with six straight serves.
Boyd never surrendered control from there, but some of the night's biggest moments belonged to the two eighth graders who were honored afterward, Anna Long and Kashlyn Garrett.
Long provided one of the loudest moments of the match when she hammered home the first kill of her career. The play brought the Boyd bench and crowd to life on a night already dedicated to celebrating what Long and Garrett have meant to the program.
Garrett made sure the celebration ended with another win.
With Boyd needing two more points to close out the second set, the Lady Broncos turned to Garrett. She delivered both, finishing off the sweep and sending Boyd into its final match of the season riding its longest winning streak of the year.
“We picked up our third straight win tonight, and I couldn’t be more proud of these girls,” said coach Kenny Chisam. “This team has really started to battle and play together better.”
The streak has provided a fitting payoff for a Boyd team that has endured its share of growing pains this season. Chisam has continually stressed moving past mistakes, battling for the next point and learning to play together. Over the last three matches, the Lady Broncos have started turning those lessons into wins.
“We’ve had our ups and downs this season, but seeing the girls continue to fight, learn from mistakes and find ways to win has been great to watch,” said Chisam. “Three straight wins is something they should be proud of, and I’m excited to see how they finish out the season.”
Boyd will get one final opportunity to extend its streak Thursday when the Lady Broncos face Franklin Road in their season finale.
Kashlyn Garrett and Anna Long with their parents on eighth-grade night.
High School team falls in four sets
Tuesday was a tougher night for the Boyd Christian High School volleyball team, which couldn't follow up an early lead in a four-set loss to TN Heat.
The Lady Broncos opened with a 25-18 victory before TN Heat responded to take the next three sets 25-22, 25-17 and 25-21.
It was the second straight night Boyd saw a promising start slip away.
The Lady Broncos traveled to 931 Volleyball on Monday and won the opening two sets, putting themselves one set away from their second victory of the season. Instead, 931 rallied all the way back, taking three consecutive sets to hand Boyd a five-set loss.
That made Tuesday another quick turnaround for a young Boyd squad that has shown considerably more fight late in the season. After opening the year with 11 consecutive losses, the Lady Broncos broke through with their first victory against Lighthouse Christian and have since put themselves in position to win multiple matches.
Boyd again showed that potential Tuesday by taking the opening set and staying within striking distance in two of the final three. The Lady Broncos couldn't find the finishing push, however, as TN Heat completed the comeback.
