Poplar Bluff sweeps Jackson in volleyball

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff finished off a tight first game with a 6-1 run, then pulled away in the second with a 10-2 rally to beat visiting Jackson 25-20, 25-14 on Tuesday.

Kelsey McDowell had five kills, while Julia Weber added three for Jackson (2-4). Natalie Miller chipped in two kills and three digs.

"We didn't execute," Jackson coach Maile Gannon said. "We had a lot of errors -- our pass kept us off the net, we couldn't stay consistent and get a good swing."

There were 12 lead changes and 11 ties in the opener, which Jackson led by two early on an ace by Weber.

The teams were tied at 19-19 before Poplar Bluff got consecutive kills by Kaley Morse, Danielle Farmer and Sara Eyler. The Mules (2-0) closed the game with two key digs to keep points alive long enough.

"Bluff did a great job scrambling," Gannon said. "They kept the ball alive, dug the ball really well.

"We didn't do a very good job of being out of system."

The teams traded points early in the second game before Poplar Bluff used a 10-2 run to pull away. Jackson committed four errors during the rally and trailed 13-7 after a kill by Weber. The margin was trimmed to five on a hitting error by the Mules, who closed the match with another 6-1 swing.