Varsity Volleyball wins season opener versus Fulton Science Academy
Way to go Lady Cougar Volleyball! The team began the season with a bang. That bang included a 3 game sweep versus the Fulton Science Academy Mustangs. It was awesome to have TCS fans in the stands along with our MS volleyball team cheering us on. Go Cougars and thank you for the support.
On Wednesday, the Lady Cougars had their opening match of the season. With only 5 practices under their belt, the Cougars made a great debut of what we think will be an outstanding season. It was exciting to see the girls run a 4-2 offense for the first time in a real game situation. This was a huge learning curve but they handled it well, rolled with the challenges and opportunities that came along and kept their heads and hearts in the game. It was fun to watch and it will be a treat to see them grow into this offense in the coming months.
Highlights:
Set 1 The team came out strong with impressive serving by 7th grader Grace Williams, junior Alecta Feely and seniors Brandy Michelle Finnell and Bethany Lingle. Grace and Alecta each had 7 seven consecutive serves, and Alecta served the winning point. Grace supported the team with cat-like passing skills in addition to providing setting support while in the front row. There were a few learning curves as they worked out switching positions across the front row with the new offense. They worked well together and it was exciting to watch them make this transition into this next level of play. Co-captain Bethany Lingle was vocal and adept at speaking up for the team. The Lady Cougars finished set 1, 25-11.
Set 2 Strong serving and never-ending court coverage were key in set 2. Their consistent passing and never stopping until the whistle blew, made all the difference. Brandy Michelle, Grace, Alecta and Co-Captain senior Julia Baumohl all helped with great court coverage in this game and continued to keep the energizer bunny alive. They did not stop. Newcomers; freshman Anna Scalf and junior Emily Daugherty came in off to the bench to provide great court coverage as well as strong serving. The Cougars took set 2, 25-12.
Set 3 The Cougars took the court for set 3 with a little variety from the earlier lineups. Players jumped into this new offense with trepidation but moved well and found their new flow on the court. Practice games like “Boo Boo” became the go-to word to remind the team that they have to cover greater court space and ALWAYS be ready to move. They stepped up to the challenge. Grace was an animal in set 3 with quick reflexes and smart ball placement while on the net. Strong serving continued team-wide with strings of continuous serves from both Grace and Brandy Michelle. The team showed their scrappiness in this game and fought until the whistle blew, 25-19.
Coach Tasha and I are extremely proud of what the entire team did in their first match . We are looking forward to the season and the opportunity in front of us. We hope you will come out to support the Lady Cougars again on Friday, August 17 at 4:30pm in the Cougar Center when they take on AASD. Go Cougars!
