HANCEVILLE, Ala. — The Wallace State Volleyball team completed a seven-match stretch, going 6-1 overall, with six of those matches taking place at home as part of the Alabama/Mississippi Crossover Battle Tournament hosted by Wallace State Community College. The Lady Lions kicked off the week with a 3-1 victory against Gadsden State Community College on Sept. 4 before opening their home season at the Crossover Battle tournament, where they claimed five wins in six matches at Traditions Bank Arena in Tom Drake Coliseum.
Wallace State vs. Gadsden State Community College on Sept. 4 (3-1)
Wallace State began their stretch with a 3-1 victory over Gadsden State. Freshman Kailey Dickerson of Wellington led the way with 16 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Chloe Jackson of Athens added 13 kills, while freshman Rachel Mecklenburg of Madison contributed 12 kills, 30 assists and one block assist. Freshman Amanda Monge of Davenport, Fla., added six kills and four service aces, and freshman Ali Price of Rainsville tallied 21 assists and 10 digs. Freshman Abby McDonald of Fairview and freshman Molly Shiflett of Corner chipped in with 12 and six digs, respectively.
Wallace State vs. Northeast Mississippi Community College on Sept. 6 (3-0)
The Lady Lions earned a 3-0 win against Northeast Mississippi. Dickerson recorded 13 kills and 16 digs, while Jackson added 11 kills. Monge had 11 kills, and Mecklenburg provided 27 assists and six digs. Price added 13 assists, and freshman Kaylee Roman of Deltona, Fla., registered five kills on five attempts, achieving a perfect hitting percentage.
Wallace State vs. Itawamba Community College on Sept. 6 (2-3)
In a five-set thriller, Wallace State fell to Itawamba 2-3. Jackson delivered a standout performance with 18 kills, while Dickerson added 11 kills and 16 digs. Mecklenburg recorded 12 kills and 30 assists, and Monge contributed 11 kills and 13 digs. Price led with 23 assists and McDonald added 15 digs to the defensive effort.
Wallace State vs. Jones College on Sept. 7 (3-0)
Wallace State bounced back with a 3-0 victory over Jones College. Dickerson led with 17 kills, while Monge added 10 kills and 13 digs. Jackson recorded eight kills and three block assists, and Price set the pace with 37 assists. McDonald supported the defense with 14 digs.
Wallace State vs. Pearl River Community College on Sept. 7 (3-0)
The Lady Lions kept the momentum going with a 3-0 win over Pearl River. Dickerson and Monge each contributed 16 and 9 kills, respectively. Jackson recorded nine kills and two block assists, while Price tallied 35 assists. McDonald was once again strong defensively, registering 17 digs.
Wallace State vs. Northwest Mississippi Community College on Sept. 8 (3-1)
Wallace State secured a 3-1 win over Northwest Mississippi. Dickerson dominated with 19 kills and 16 digs, while Monge added 12 kills and 14 digs. Mecklenburg contributed 12 kills and seven digs. Price led with 48 assists and 16 digs, and McDonald anchored the defense with 29 digs.
Wallace State vs. Meridian Community College on Sept. 8 (3-0)
The Lady Lions wrapped up their tournament performance with a 3-0 victory against Meridian. Dickerson and Monge each contributed six kills. Jackson added nine kills and Price tallied 22 assists. Shiflett recorded four kills and one service ace, while McDonald registered eight digs to cap off the win.
Tournament Honors and Upcoming Matches
Dickerson and Monge were both named to the Wallace State Alabama/Mississippi Crossover Battle All-Tournament Team. This week, Dickerson was named by the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) as the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, averaging 3.92 kills per set, 0.56 aces per set, 3.4 digs per set and 0.24 blocks per set over 25 sets played this season.
The Lady Lions will host Bevill State Community College at 4 p.m. and Lawson State Community College at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11. Wallace State currently holds a 12-5 record.
Wallace State Cross Country Teams Finish Top Five at University of Montevallo Falcon Classic
The Wallace State Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams continued their impressive start to the season at the Falcon Classic, hosted by the University of Montevallo on Sept. 6. The men’s team finished second overall in the 8K race, while the women’s team claimed third place in the 5K. Both teams competed against a challenging field of 18 teams.
Men’s Team Top Seven Finishers
Sophomore Luke Kennedy of Huntsville led the way for the men’s team, securing a third-place finish with a time of 25:55.24. Freshman Tyler Anthony of Fort Payne followed in 14th place, crossing the line at 26:42.43. Freshman Harper Branscome of Muscle Shoals claimed 19th with a time of 26:58.85. Sophomore David Robles of Springville finished 21st in 27:05.62. Freshman Daniel Leija of Albertville finished in 28th place, clocking in at 27:26.89. Freshman Carson Masterson of Hatton finished 30th, with a time of 27:41.59. Freshman Elliot Denard of Springville rounded out the top seven in 34th, crossing the line at 27:54.64.
Women’s Team Top Seven Finishers
For the women’s team, sophomore Reagan Parris of Bremen led the Lions, placing seventh overall with a time of 19:31.07. Freshman Eden Brumer of Fort Thomas, Ky., followed in 18th place with a time of 20:10.96. Freshman Grace Gosline of Arab finished 21st at 20:20.64. Sophomore Claire Deaton of Madison claimed 23rd with a time of 20:25.50. Freshman Abigale Vega of Fort Payne took 29th place, crossing the line at 20:43.86. Sophomore Kendall Harbison of Cullman finished 33rd with a time of 20:55.45. Sophomore Ivy Edge of Eva rounded out the top seven in 39th with a time of 21:04.65.
ACCC Runners of the Week
This week, Kennedy was named as the Men’s Runner of the Week by the ACCC for his placement in the Men’s 8K Race at the Montevallo Falcon Classic. Kennedy finished third overall behind two runners from UAH and was the first finisher out of all ACCC schools, leading the Wallace State Men’s Cross Country team to a second-place overall finish behind UAH.
Last week, Denard was named Men’s Runner of the Week and Gosline was named Women’s Runner of the Week by the ACCC for their strong performances at the JSU Foothills Invitational in Oxford. Denard finished the Men’s 5K with a 21st place overall finish, crossing the line at 15:47. Gosline finished the Women’s 5K with a 37th place overall finish, crossing the line at 20:02.
The Wallace State Cross Country teams will compete in the UT Southern Meet at the Oakville Indian Mounds Park in Moulton on Sept. 21. Races are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.
