By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Meadowview knows how to play up to its competition.

The Trojans (5-0) defeated Victory Columbus (4-1) 25-20, 25-18, 25-21 Thursday at Meadowview. Head coach Tim Burton said the Eagles were the best team his Trojans have faced. He also said it was the best his team had played all season.

“They looked a lot better than they have in the past,” Burton said.

As the first set got underway, it seemed to be anyone’s match. Meadowview trailed 7-9, but Alyssa Verhoff gave the Trojans two straight points off her serve to tie up the set. Emily Skelton helped build a 14-10 lead by hitting a ball over two blockers and serving an ace.

The Trojans led 15-11 when Mallory Freine dug out a low pass and partially blocked a hit in the same point to give her team a five-point lead in the first set.

“Mallory is one of those girls that’s just everywhere,” Burton said. “She knows where it’s going to be before anybody else.”

Christina Dabit led the way to end the set, as she served and spiked her team to an emphatic first-set victory.

Burton said Dabit’s serving isn’t always totally on, but when it is — like it was Thursday — it can be scary.

“She served some bullets over there,” Burton said. “They couldn’t even catch up with it.”

Meadowview started the second set in a 6-0 hole, but quickly dug out of it with the help of Victory Columbus. The Trojans earned three of their first seven points because the Eagles touched the net.

Skelton won seven straight points off her serve to mount a comeback and give the Trojans an 8-6 lead. The rest of the set fell heavily in Meadowview’s favor. Dabit once again used her powerful serving to give the Trojans a 19-7 lead.

The second set ended on a Victory Columbus foot fault.

The Trojans succeeded in limiting the match to three sets once again as they maintained a slight lead throughout the final set of the match. It was closer than previous matches, but as they have done all season long, the Trojans stepped up when they needed to.

“When they had to do it, they got it done,” Burton said.

The varsity girls’ volleyball team isn’t the only undefeated team at Meadowview. The junior varsity girls moved to 4-0 after defeating Victory Columbus (2-2) 25-21, 25-16.

“My JV looked good,” Burton said. “I think this team’s JV was the best we’ve played by far.”

Burton was proud of the way both his teams played Thursday and has high hopes and expectations for how the season will play out.

“I think we’ll be right up there at the top come the end of the season,” Burton said.

The junior varsity team plays in a six-team tournament Saturday at Chilton Christian at 8 a.m. Meadowview’s varsity team plays its first road match at Evangel Christian on Monday.