By MICKEL PONTHIEUX / Sports Reporter

NORTH SHELBY – The Oak Mountain Eagles improved to 3-0 in Class 6A, Area 8 play with a 25-17, 25-20, 25-16 sweep of Spain Park Sept. 20 on the road.

“We played a very strong volleyball team,” said Oak Mountain head coach Lance Woods. “Spain Park is very solid.”

The Eagles (13-1, 3-0) battled Spain Park through the first half of the first set of the match. The lead switched hands twice with six ties until the Jaguars pulled within one, 15-14, after a Kylie Beaubien kill. Oak Mountain responded with a 10-3 run to claim the opening set 25-17.

Spain Park (10-10, 0-3) opened the second set with a 5-1, but the Eagles battled back to even the score 8-8. Oak Mountain continued to gain momentum to take a 22-14 lead on a 13-4 rally. The Jaguars didn’t fade away, but answered with rally of their own. Spain Park took advantage of Eagles’ errors for a 6-2 rally to cut the score to 24-20.

The Jaguars’ rally was brought to a halt on an error that gave the Eagles the set win, 25-20 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The third set was one of who would have the last big rally. Oak Mountain got on the board first and broke for a 9-0 run to take a commanding 13-3 lead in the set led by four aces by Emily Cosgrove.

“Serve and receive is all mental,” Spain Park head coach Paula Dill said. “We were too relaxed to start [the third set], but we were able to come back.”

The Jaguars responded with a 6-0 rally of their own capped by a pair of Beaubien kills for a 13-9 score. Oak Mountain extended their lead to 21-13 on a 7-4 rally, then Cosgrove brought the Eagles to match point on a pair of aces for a 24-15 lead.

A kill by McKenna McLain extended the game for Spain Park, but an untimely error gave the Eagles the 25-16 set win and the match, 3-0.

Hannah Kowel led Oak Mountain with 16 kills and 11 digs. Cosgrove added 11 kills with four aces. Hannah Beach finished with 24 assists.

Oak Mountain will return to action tomorrow at the Hoover High School Over the Mountain Tournament. The Eagles will take on St. Paul and Spanish Fort on Friday, and then face Metairie Park (LA) on Saturday in pool play.