MURFREESBORO – The state volleyball tournament didn’t exactly start out as planned for the CSAS Lady Patriots. And you might as well add Sale Creek to that sentence as well.
Facing the Eagleville Lady Eagles in the first match of the day at Blackman High School, the Lady Patriots didn’t play their normal aggressive style and lost in three straight sets by scores of 25-14, 26-24 and 25-18.
CSAS coach Brandon Lowry didn’t know quite how to react as his team played a style of volleyball unlike any they had played all fall.
“I’m utterly shocked at how timid we were today. That is so unlike us. When we played aggressively, we scored points, but when we were timid, we lost points,” he said shortly after the match ended.
“These girls have to believe they’re good enough to be in this tournament, but we just didn’t put the ball away like we’re capable of doing. I think we were a little tight and maybe started thinking too much, but we were just soft and unaggressive in that match,” he added.
“We had 33 kills in 41 attempts, which is an average I’m happy with. When we attacked, we scored. But that’s a mindset we have to change,” Lowry nodded.
Sophomore Meah Thompson got the Lady Eagles off and running with six straight service points to start the match.
The difference was 12-2 when Lowry called his second timeout. The score never got much closer as Eagleville won the first set on a kill by Ashlynn Roberts.
The Lady Patriots played much better – and more like themselves – in the second set and had the upper hand most of the way.
A kill from Kendall Townsend put the Lady Patriots up 24-20 and on the cusp of evening the match, but couldn’t score the final point as Eagleville scored the final six points for a commanding two-set lead.
CSAS also had a big lead to start the third set and were up 8-3 when Eagleville called their first timeout, but the Lady Eagles kept chipping away.
Getting four more service points from Thompson, the Lady Eagles turned a 12-10 deficit into a 14-12 lead and they never trailed again.
A kill from Bella Bain sewed up the match for the Lady Eagles.
Savannah Moore and Gracie Lallier both had eight kills for CSAS while Michelle Bulls was next with seven. Emma Schnitzer had 20 digs while Addison Ruder finished with 33 assists and nine digs.
Sale Creek experienced similar results, but their match with Loretto was much closer as it went five sets.
It seems like Loretto always gets in the way when the Sale Creek Lady Panthers make a run at a state volleyball title.
That was again the case here at Blackman High School Tuesday afternoon after Sale Creek came up just a bit short in a five-set match.
Loretto won by scores of 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 22-25 and 15-8 and improve to 37-11 with the win. Sale Creek falls to 38-6.
“It was a great match as always with those girls, but the ball just didn’t roll our way tonight,” said Sale Creek coach Erin Briner following the match.
“We played some phenomenal volleyball in the third set, but a missed block here or there might have been the difference. Our serve receive fell apart at times and when that happens, bad things follow.
“We’d like another shot at them. I know we have a long way to go, but anything is possible. We left it all on the court so I’m pleased for the most part with the way we played.
“We competed against a really good team, but beat ourselves mainly with all of our unforced errors. Hopefully, we’ll be better tomorrow,” Briner added.
Ava Higgins had 28 kills and 12 digs to lead the Lady Panthers while Karma Higgins had 56 assists, 13 digs and five aces. Enslee Norwood was also outstanding with 21 digs and 14 kills while McKenzie Parks finished with 13 digs and 11 kills.
SALE CREEK STATS:
Hope Ayers – 6 kills, 13 digs
Desiree Higgins – 10 digs, 1 ace
Eisa Eilertson – 3 kills, 2 digs, 3 blocks
Ansley White – 2 digs
Karma Higgins – 56 assists, 5 aces, 13 digs, 1 kill
Enslee Norwood – 14 kills, 21 digs
McKenzie Parks – 11 kills, 13 digs
Ava Higgins – 28 kills, 2 blocks, 12 digs.
CSAS STATS:
Michelle Bulls – 7 kills
Olivia Coleman – 8 digs
Amanda Gardner – 10 digs
Gracie Lallier – 9 digs, 8 kills
Savannah Moore – 1 ace, 3 digs, 8 kills
Addison Ruder – 9 digs, 33 assists
Emma Schnitzer – 5 kills, 1 ace, 20 digs.