LEBANON (Sept. 15, 2026) – The Lady Pioneers remained undefeated with a convincing sweep of Virginia High on Tuesday. Set scores at Charles C. Long Gymnasium were 25-12, 25-14, 25-18.
Sophomore Kenlie Fields continued her stellar play with 19 service points and 25 digs as Lebanon (6-0, 2-0 SWD) remained perfect on the season.
“It gets us ready for the rest of the season and motivates us to come to practice and work hard,” stated Kenlie Fields. “Knowing that we’re undefeated helps us stay focused on volleyball and nothing else. But the more we win, the more pressure builds throughout the season.”
Kenlie Fields served with power, ripping seven aces. Alongside big sister Jaidyn Fields, the two are forming quite a 1-2 punch. Jaidyn led the Pioneers at the net with nine kills and also dished out seven assists.
“I was kind of mad before the game, actually, so serving helped me let off steam and get fired up,” Kenlie Fields said. “Jaidyn definitely motivated me to keep serving well, too.
“We argue a little, but we’re definitely like peanut butter and jelly. We stick together through every game. She’s literally what gets me ready. She’s the best. I love her.”
Lebanon graduated four players from last year, all of whom were in the rotation. Two players are sidelined with injuries. Several new faces are in the lineup, so the splendid start has to be something of a surprise.
“We try to get better every game, and the kids work hard,” Lebanon coach Dennis Price noted. “We’ve got a good group. Sometimes we let teams go on runs, but we’ve been working to be more consistent. The girls played really well tonight, and I was proud of them.”
Carlee Ingram also delivered a clutch performance with 12 service points, including two aces, and distributed 12 assists.
“We knew we needed to serve well, and serve-receive was big for us,” remarked Price. “It’s been big for us all year. Those were our two keys. We knew who their big hitters were, so we tried to key in on them. But our service game was the best thing for us tonight.”
Rhealyn Barton (eight kills) and Abigail Mullins (five kills) also sparked the Pioneers’ attack up front.
In addition to Kenlie, Olivia Gibson (14 digs) and Jaidyn Fields (11 digs) made the back row effective.
“Kenlie’s done a great job back there,” noted Price. “That was probably our best rotation tonight, with her serving and playing in the back row.
“The young girls are stepping up pretty well for us. They’re getting a lot of experience, and it’s building confidence. That’s what you need for sure, because volleyball can be tough on you.”
It’s been a rough start for Virginia High (0-8, 0-2 SWD) in a rebuilding year with several players hurt.
“We’re filling some shoes from last year, and we’ve had to deal with injuries, with three right off the bat this season,” VHS coach Ashley Johnson said. “We’re still looking for people to find their places and the right rotation. It’s still wide open for us, even this far into the season. We’re still looking for what works.”
Sophomore Wrigley Belcher led the way with six kills.
The Bearcats played from behind the entire match. To their credit, they kept battling.
“That’s something this team has consistently shown improvement in,” declared Johnson. “Even when they’re down, they’ll get down, but they will fight back. They don’t just give up and quit. That’s something big because that’s not always a skill that’s easy to teach a team. So, I’m proud of them for coming out, still battling, and still trying to work. But we’re still looking for that consistency.”
