Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kendal Woods of Mabank (left, No. 3) taps the volleyball over the net during the Aug. 12 Mabank-Malakoff match.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Annel Duran of Malakoff focuses on returning the ball into Mabank’s side of the net Aug. 12 in Malakoff.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff’s Alabama Anding (from left, No. 7) and Bree Tinney (No. 14) defend at the frontline against Kendal Woods of Mabank.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Mabank’s Alexis Hall begins her serve during their Aug. 12 game; the Lady Panthers beat Sulphur Springs Aug. 14.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Mabank’s Jewell Hager sets for a teammate during the Aug. 12 volleyball match against Malakoff.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff’s Cate Powers waits for the ball to arrive so she can dig for a pass to a teammate Aug. 12.

MALAKOFF–The Malakoff Tigers volleyball team beat Mabank on the opening day of volleyball season Aug. 12, after beating Palestine earlier that day. Both scores were 2-1.
Malakoff followed that by winning first place in the silver bracket of the Cross Roads tournament, held Aug. 14-16. The Tigers beat Fruitvale (twice), Buffalo, Frost, Winona and Latexo. That left the Tigers with an 8-2 record.
Against Mabank Aug. 12, the Mabank Lady Panthers went ahead of Malakoff 16-12 in the first set, making Malakoff call a timeout. Later, a Kendal Woods kill for Mabank extended the Lady Panther first-set lead. Malakoff crept closer (at 23-20) with Annel Duran serving, but Mabank prevailed, 25-20.
In the second set, Malakoff ran out to the lead with Cameryn Cheek serving. That lead was 6-3, but the Lady Panthers cut that to 6-5. Following that, an Alabama Anding kill moved it to 7-5, Malakoff. Lindsey Cope started a Mabank rally with a kill, then another Cope kill put Mabank in front 10-9.
After being tied 18-18 in the second set, Malakoff began to pull away. Two kills from De’Mariya Singelton and Anding had the Tigers ahead 20-18. Singleton added another kill later in the set, which Malakoff won 25-20, tying the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, Malakoff went ahead 4-2 before Mabank tied the set at 5-5. After Malakoff established a 10-5 lead, three-straight Mabank points cut that to 10-8. Later, an Anding kill gave Malakoff the necessary 15 points to win the deciding third set, garnering Malakoff’s second win of the day.