CENTRALIA - Senior setter Kenzie Shaw tallied six aces and handed out eight assists, steering the Fulton Lady Hornets volleyball team to a 25-21, 25-21 triumph over the Centralia Lady Panthers in Tuesday night's emotional season opener.
Shaw was playing just four days after her father, Fulton boys' head basketball coach Ryan Shaw, died unexpectedly after suffering a brain aneurysm in South Carolina.
"I cannot express how proud I am of these girls," said head coach Megan Youse, who is back for her second stint with the Lady Hornets after a year away. "As you know, the last few days have been extremely difficult for our Hornet community, and especially for a few players on our team."
Senior middle hitter Hannah Cerda also supplied six kills for Fulton and sophomore outside hitter Kate Pani recorded eight digs.
"It gives me chills when a group of players can rally behind a teammate and really unite to bring us together," Youse said. "This group played with such grace and such mental toughness."
Paced by junior outside hitter Sydney Dungan's six kills and six aces, the Lady Hornets won the junior varsity match 25-13 and 25-18. Junior setter Colleen Van Norman chipped in with nine aces and 11 assists.
Fulton completed a sweep with a 25-23, 25-19 victory in the freshman match.
The Lady Hornets play their home and North Central Missouri Conference opener against Marshall starting at 5:30 p.m. today at Roger D. Davis Gymnasium.