A lot of extra emotion was built into Poplar Bluff's pink out game, and the Mules channeled it into a solid 25-22, 25-14 win over Eminence on Thursday at the Senior High Gym.
In a ceremony prior to the game, the Mules announced they were donating all proceeds from the pink out game fundraising activities to Vicky Slaughter, whose daughter Haley is on the volleyball team.
"Coming in the gym tonight kind of choked me up to see everybody, all of my family and friends and see everybody doing this," Haley said. "It hit home tonight."
The Poplar Bluff starters each handed a pink rose to Vicky as they were introduced, as well, and a banner hung opposite the bleachers saying "Vicky will Slaughter cancer."
"They actually did really well (with the extra emotion)," said Poplar Bluff coach Amanda Lance, who added that the Mules kept everything a secret from Vicky. "I was kind of worried. You never know with emotions and teenage girls. They actually flipped it in a positive way and they were really excited to be here and do this for Vicky.
"They came in here and they worked hard decorating the gym, I never once had to tell them to do things. So they were very excited about it and I was proud of them."
Poplar Bluff (14-10) led 10-8 in the first game when it went on a 12 point run against Eminence (9-11-5).
Khelie Spence and Sophia Rowland each ahd three kills in the run and Kiley Bess served up a pair of ace.
The Mules led 23-10 when Eminence countered with an eight point run, forcing Lance to call a timeout.
"We had a run with a lot of errors on our part. Our goal is if we mess up once, shake it off and never have two in a row. We gave them like, four, five, six in a row. Luckily we were ahead enough to where we still had control of the game," Lance said.
Up by four, Slaughter scored a kill off the block and soon after, the Mules got a free ball and set up Bess for the game-winning kill.
In the second game, the Mules again went on a solid run midway through, this time turning a 13-11 lead into a 24-13 lead. Bess had two kills and a block during the spurt to lead the Mules, and after they lost the serve, it was Bess who scored the match-winning kill.
"It is all about attitude and momentum and putting our emotion into the game in a positive way and not a negative way," Lance said. "I always tell the girls, when they are warming up I have a good feeling that we are just in it. Other games, nobody feels it, no emotions in the game. Tonight they had their emotions in the game and they were excited to be here and play."
With only senior night against Cape Central on Monday left before the SEMO Conference Tournament and then the district tournament, the Mules have won six of their past nine games, including all four home games during that span.