ELLISTOWN – It had been exactly one month since Walnut lost a volleyball match. East Union still hasn’t.
No. 1-ranked East Union beat No. 2 Walnut 3-1 Tuesday in a battle of Class 2A title contenders. The Urchins are now 20-0.
“I don’t think about it. I don’t,” East Union coach Josh Blythe said. “Next game, practice, scout next team. How can we go play?”
Dating back to last season, East Union has lost only twice since Aug. 26 of 2025. Both of those losses came against Walnut, the last one in the third round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Walnut went on to win the 2A state championship. Tuesday was a little revenge, but the ultimate goal for East Union is to do what Walnut did a year ago.
Walnut won the opening set 25-23. East Union took the second set 25-20.
Walnut trailed by five in the third set but battled back to tie it at 18. Ann Fleming Leflore had a fierce kill for East Union, one of her 25. Walnut’s Molly-Kate Rolison had a difficult dig that kept the Wildcats (14-2) alive before East Union won it, 25-18.
“I’m just so thankful for these girls,” Leflore said. “Lily Kate (Johnson) had an amazing night. Reagan (Johnson) was just everywhere, Lucy (Cochran) … I just feel like we’ve come together greatly as a team.”
Leflore, Madi Robbins, Lilly Mae Watson and their teammates were constantly above the net with Walnut’s Rolison, Kayleigh Steel, and Maddie Wilburn.
“They’re just insane players,” said Leflore, who had a kill early in the second set, as East Union took control. “You’ve always got to be ready.”
Brittan Dawkins had dig after dig for Walnut, one on a mean kill attempt from East Union’s Marley Clayton.
A couple of Rolison kills kept Walnut in the fourth set early on, but Lily Kate Johnson’s block put the Urchins ahead 22-12 in an eventual 25-14 win to end the match.
Reagan Johnson had 41 digs, and Lily Kate Johnson had nine blocks for East Union.
East Union will aim to stay unbeaten Thursday against visiting Tishomingo County. Walnut will try to start a new win streak at Hamilton.
“Obviously we’re disappointed. We never want to lose,” Walnut coach Kelley Hopper said. “The first two sets, I was really proud of the competition. I was proud of the effort. The next two sets, I could see where we made too many errors, or we let up, just some things we’re definitely going to clean up.”