photo by: Kim North

Union Local’s Myah Martin (2) sends the ball over the net as the St. Clairsville trio of Corrin Pritts (6), Vivian Harris and Addison Cooey (25) defend during Monday night’s action inside ‘The Hangar’ on the Union Local campus in Morristown. The Jets took down the previously undefeated Red Devils in a sweep, 25-16, 25-15 and 25-18.

MORRISTOWN – Union Local has been the premier volleyball team in Belmont County for the past several seasons. Nothing changed Monday night.

The host Jets (6-3) dealt St. Clairsville (8-1) its first loss of the season inside ‘The Hangar’ on the Union Local campus with a dominating 25-16, 25-15 and 25-18 sweep behind its twin towers. It was the Jets sixth sweep in nine matches.

Six-foot-one junior Ameera Saunders charted 17 kills and 6-0 senior Laken Vinskovich added 12 as Union Local got back into the win column after being swept Saturday at New Lexington.

“As a coach, I’m always worried. That’s just my personality,” Union Local head coach Kaye Sechrest said after the weekend loss. “We had a tough one at New Lex on Saturday, but I thought everyone played well tonight. It’s always nice when you can beat your alma mater.”

The first set was tied nine times and saw the lead change hands nine times before Union Local took control. With the score deadlocked at 15, the veteran Jets squad ran off 10 of the final 11 points for the win. Vinskovich was at the service line for the first six points, making the score 22-15. After the Red Devils stopped the scorefest, Saunders recorded two of her match-high kills to end things.

“I’m just lucky where I have Ameera and Laken,” Sechrest noted. “We set it up to where we can flip it where when one goes to the back row, the other comes up front. We’re lucky in that aspect.”

St. Clairsville, which had won five of its matches in sweeps and the other three by 3-1 scores, weren’t used to playing from behind, according to head coach Steve Harris.

“When Union Local passes like they did tonight and gets good swings at the ball it’s hard to defend. You have to dig a lot of balls to stay in the match,” Harris said. “Losing that first set was tough and I think it took a toll on us. We don’t have a player like the Saunders or Vinskovich girls that can get you those consistent kills.

“Tonight was a learning experience for my girls,” he added. “There are things we need to do to get better and tonight showed us what they are. We’ll get back to practice and work on those things.”

The second set saw the Jets methodically earn the win. They broke a 3-all tie five of the next six points and kept adding three or four to the Red Devils’ one.

The third set was tied at 13 – the seventh deadlock – before Union Local broke loose for five straight points, with Delaney Butler at the service line for the final four as the lead grew to 18-13.

The Red Devils could get no closer.

“St. Clairsville is a good team … a good team,” Sechrest said. “I think maybe they’re a young team.”

In addition to her match-high in kills, Saunders also charted 15 digs, a pair of blocks and one assist. Vinskovich added 14 digs, four blocks and a pair of assists.

Delaney Butler, who recorded her 1,000th assists earlier this season, had 30 last night to go along with seven digs. Alli Kellaway chipped in four kills, 15 digs and two blocks. Myah Martin added 11 digs.

Freshman Ramsey Butler contributed four blocks in playing what Sechrest said was “her best game of the season. I don’t consider her a freshman anymore. She has started since Day 1.”

St. Clairsville takes stats from the film of the match.