Following a tight opening game Monday night, the Poplar Bluff Mules volleyball team served up an easy win against Bernie.
Hannah Vaughn served up four of her six aces in the match early in the second game as the host Mules scored six straight to beat Bernie 25-22, 25-14 at the Senior High Gym.
"We just kind of played flat and couldn't get anything going that first set. Second set, our serving was the game changer," Poplar Bluff coach Amanda Lance said.
Poplar Bluff (8-4) broke a 22-all tie in the opening game on junior Sophia Rowland's kill through a Bernie block. Vaughn then had an ace when the Mules couldn't dig up the serve and Khelie Spence closed it out with a kill in the middle after Bernie dug up a pair of spikes.
Bernie (3-7-1) overcame a 21-18 deficit to pull even in the opening game.
"Right now we're just trying to get to a point where we can find something to feel good about," Bernie coach Jason Long said.
Bernie never trailed by more than four points in the opening game but quickly fell behind 9-1 and 11-3 in the second following a pair of long runs by the Mules.
Poplar Bluff scored six straight starting with a sideout and a pair of aces by Vaughn before two more forced Long to call a timeout.
"We're working toward trying to be consistent," Long said. "That's one of the things we're struggling with right now, especially our passing and serve-receive."
Taylor Anthony ended Poplar Bluff's run with a kill while Cymber Arnold's block for a kill cut the deficit to 6-3. Four straight Bernie errors, however, allowed the Mules to extend their lead.
Logan Mayberry led Bernie with six kills while Arnold and Anthony each had four.
Poplar Bluff got multiple kills from six different players led by Haley Slaughter's four and three by Rowland. Doni Everts, Vaughn, Spence and Kiley Bess each had two. Vaughn had 10 assists, Everts a pair of blocks while libero Ady Kingree had six digs.
There were eight ties in the opening game. Bernie took a 17-6 lead before a cross-court kill by Slaughter. The next point featured three jousts at the net before a long attack gave Poplar Bluff the lead. Everts then had a block in the middle for a kill while Slaughter's spike through a block put the Mules up 20-18.
"We're struggling when we get to point 20," Lance said. "We get to point 20 and then we kind of get rattled a little bit when it's a close game."
Poplar Bluff led 22-19 but Anthony answered with a kill to start a game-tying 3-point spurt.
"We're just tired," Lance said of her team who was playing their eighth match in seven days and host Notre Dame on Tuesday.
"I told the girls, go home and get some rest, we need it. We've got a big game tomorrow."
Bernie, which had four days off, returns Tuesday to host Malden before Puxico comes to town Thursday.
"These girls have worked hard in practice and they're good kids," Long said. "We've got to keep plugging."
Poplar Bluff won the junior varsity match 25-22, 25-22.