Pink Out Night Brings in a Win for the Lions

Jaycie Johnson, Sports Reporter

CARTERVILLE – Carterville Volleyball swept the Anna-Jonesboro Wildcats in front of a large Pink Out crowd at Carterville High School on Tuesday.   The Lions improved to 22-4 on the season after the win tonight, 25-6 , 25-7. 

Senior Bella Mavigliano led the team with 9 kills, touting a 0.818 hitting percentage, while also having 10 assists in the match. A-J struggled to return serves from both Erin Hunsaker and Amanda Howerton with Hunsaker’s four aces and Howerton’s five. 

Hunsaker spoke about the pressures of being on a serving streak saying, “it’s really exciting but I still have to focus on the next serve going over and in and being just as aggressive.”

The Lions maintained a lead throughout the entire game, containing the Wildcats to a single-digit score for both sets. 

The crowd really enjoyed the show that the girls put on for Pink Out Night as they were honoring loved ones affected by cancer. Prior to the game, the girls lined up, some accompanied by the person represented on the back of their shirt, others in their memory. This night was a successful fundraiser for the Coach Kill Cancer fund that financially assists families and individuals coping with cancer and childhood diseases. Not only was this a fundraiser, but a great reminder of how so many people’s lives are affected by cancer and that we are not alone in this fight.

Sydney Stuck played an outstanding game for her grandmother. 

“My mammaw has had cancer for my whole life. She’s incredibly strong in her battle with Melanoma Cancer. I use her courage as strength for my own battles. My mammaw is 21 years and 18 surgeries strong, if she can get through that we can get through anything. Like she said this morning ‘we fight because we’re not quitters’,” she said.

Carterville volleyball goes on the road to Nashville on Thursday, October 7th before hosting Woodlawn and Pinckneyville in the following week.