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After a tough loss in the first set, Briarwood couldn’t overcome the deficit in a 3-0 loss to area foe Homewood on Tuesday, Sept. 15. (For the Reporter/Larry Dancy)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor 

NORTH SHELBY –  The Briarwood Lions poured an exhaustive effort into the first set against area foe Homewood on Tuesday, Sept. 15, in a home volleyball matchup.

But after losing the set by two points to fall into a 1-0 hole in the match the Lions never could recover in a 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-11)

The final two sets in the loss, however, didn’t represent the effort Briarwood showed up with, and had the Lions won that opening set, it could have set a new tone to the match.

Early on, Briarwood looked like the better of the two teams, jumping out to a quick five-point lead at 8-3, forcing a Homewood timeout.

Following the timeout, the Patriots were able to regain their focus and put together a run. Briarwood eventually jumped up 10-3, but from there, Homewood outscored the Lions 14-7 over the next 21 points to tie the set at 17-17.

Briarwood regained the lead at 19-17, but the Patriots put together four consecutive points to storm back in front. The Lions then regained the lead at 23-22, but Homewood answered back with two more points as the lead continued to change hands giving the Patriots a 24-23 advantage.

After the Lions evened the score one last time, Homewood put the set away with two consecutive points to claim a 26-24 victory for the 1-0 lead.

In the second set, Homewood got off to the fast start, replicating Briarwood’s success in the opening set by taking a quick 8-3 lead.

Thanks to winning five consecutive serves, that was eventually extended to a 12-3 lead for the Patriots, which put Briarwood in a deep hole.

Homewood went on to open up a 10-point lead at 17-7 and 21-11, which the Lions never could overcome in a 10-point loss in the set by a final of 25-15.

Down 2-0 in the match and still reeling from an exhausting first set, the Lions had a major hole to dig out of and it only got deeper early in the third set.

The Patriots came out ready to put the match away with a quick 9-2 run. From there, Briarwood couldn’t find any confidence, as Homewood pulled away for a 19-4 lead to eventually win the set by a score of 25-11 to complete the sweep.

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