The host Jets moved to 2-0 with a clean sweep of the Shamrocks by scores of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-10 in the first of their two regular-season matchups in the Backyard Rivals series. They will face each other in Barnesville on Tuesday, Sept. 20 for the coveted Milk Jug traveling trophy.

“This group of girls gets along so well, and that’s part of the battle,” Union Local head coach Kaye Sechrest said of her veteran, talented squad. “They’ve played together for a couple of years now, and we’ve got some young girls that can really play.”

Union Local, which is coming off an appearance in the Division II semifinals last year, jumped out to early leads in all three sets, thus forcing Barnesville, which returns everyone from a season ago when it made major strides, to play catchup for most of the night.

And while the visitors battled and battled, they couldn’t overcome unforced errors and a very good opponent.

“Unfortunately, sometimes teams score in what we call ‘chunks’ and that’s what happened at times tonight, but we battled back,” Barnesville head coach Kimberly Jarrett said. “We were just a couple of points away from them multiple times in each set.

“I don’t think the scores reflect how hard my girls played,” she continued. “I’m super proud of every girl that took the court for me. This is a hard atmosphere to play in and they are a great team, but I have no shame because we played hard. I’m excited to play them again.”

The Jets scored the first five points of the initial set and steadily increased the margin with stellar play at the net from senior all-stater Torre Kildow, classmate Kelly Gress, sophomore Ella Pietranton and promising freshman Laken Vinskovich, as well as superb play from senior Emily Kellaway, junior Julie Broussard and frosh Olivia Whortman.

“Torre played really well tonight and when she goes to the back row, Olivia steps up,” Sechrest explained. “We have the girls. They’ve just got to keep playing together and getting better.

“I always know I’m going to get effort from all of them,” Sechrest added. “They will never come out and just go through the motions because they are all competitors.”

Leading 19-17, UL ran off the final six points to take the first set.

The Jets tallied 14 of the first 20 points of the middle set and led 22-11 before the Shamrocks made another run.

A 1-all deadlock early in the third set was the lone time Barnesville didn’t trail on the night. Union Local reeled off the final 14 markers to complete the sweep.

Kildow, who earlier this summer committed to Ohio University to continue her volleyball and academic careers, sparkled once again with 22 kills (in 30 attempts), four digs and a block. Most of her kills were emphatic. Vinskovich chipped in with seven kills, four digs and a pair of blocks, while Whortman and junior Allie Briggs evenly divided eight kills. Whortman also added five digs and Briggs charted two digs. Broussard had 14 digs and two assists while Gress went for 36 assists and four digs. Sophomore Emma Yager had five digs and Kellaway donated a trio. Pietranton ended with three kills, two digs and a pair of aces.

Barnesville was led by Ava McFarland with 16 assists and three points. Jalyn Skinner contributed 15 digs and a trio of points, while Ellie Thompson recorded nine kills. Halle Markovich finished with four kills and two points.

The Shamrocks remain on the road tonight when they visit Shadyside. They also trek to Buckeye Local on Thursday. Union Local, meanwhile, visits Bellaire on Thursday.