Signal Mountain's Maia Rackel dives for an attempted dig during the Lady Eagles' match with Sullivan South at the state volleyball tournament at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro. While Signal Mountain lost that match by a 3-2 score, they showed signs they weren't ready to come home just yet, In their next match against Jackson South Side they prevailed by 3-0 and now face Dyersburg at 11:30 Thursday morning at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro.
photo by Dennis Norwood
MURFREESBORO – Volleyball is one of those sports that offers second chances.
If you slip up and don’t play well in your first match, you can always do better the second time around.
That was certainly the case for the Signal Mountain Lady Eagles on the first day of competition in the Class AA state volleyball tournament at Blackman High School.
The Lady Eagles had a tough first match as they faced defending champ Sullivan South. The results weren’t very positive as the Lady Rebels prevailed 3-2 by scores of 25-21, 25-12, 24-26, 22-25 and 15-10.
The second time around was much better as Signal Mountain swept Jackson South Side by scores of 25-16, 25-14 and 25-11.
The Red Bank Lionettes weren’t as lucky.
Dyersburg sent Red Bank to the losers bracket with a 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 loss in the opening round and things weren’t much better in the second match against Page.
The Lionettes won the first set 25-23, but couldn’t match that intensity or desire as the Lady Patriots won the next three sets by scores of 25-12, 25-8 and 25-21.
It was a painful experience for Red Bank’s first-year head coach Savannah Nelson, whose team finished the season at 24-18.
“We just quit doing the little things right as we tried to force some things that didn’t work,” said Nelson after the first loss.
“Dyersburg reacted quicker than us as we had trouble adjusting, but we had played really well these last two weeks and we just need to get our chemistry back,” she added.
The former All-State player was somewhat downcast and disappointed after the season ending defeat to the Lady Patriots.
“I think Marjorie Smith is the only one of our players who have ever been to a state tournament and it can do strange things to your team,” Nelson said after a lengthy post-match talk with her girls.
“I kept repeating myself over mistakes we continue to make and it’s stuff we should have corrected a long time ago. We just got outplayed in this last match. I’m proud that we made it to this point, but it’s not the ending that I wanted.
“This is a tough spot to be in as we could have played a whole lot better. I can promise you that we’ll have a tougher schedule next year,” she added.
Smith had 10 kills, nine digs and seven blocks in the match against Dyersburg before recording four kills and 10 digs against Page.
Hannah Wood had 10 assists, seven digs and five kills against Dyersburg before recording 10 kills, 10 digs and five assists in the second match.
Signal Mountain coach Jennifer Redman was much less than pleased after her team’s first match, but she was feeling much better following the win over Jackson South Side.
“Our blocking was pitiful. If we can’t serve or block any better than that, we don’t deserve to be here. I really don’t know what to say to them at this point, but they can either let this fire them up or they can be finished with the season today,” she continued.
The tone and outlook was much better after the win over the Lady Hawks.
“That was much better as I’m happy with our effort. I told them we’d go to Sonic if we won, so I had to bribe them with food, but I’ll do whatever works,” she laughed.
“It was a do or die situation for us and we’ll just wait and see what happens tomorrow, but I guess we’ll find out just what we’re made of,” she added.
Nicole Terfloth had 17 digs and four aces against Sullivan South while Aubrie Johnson and Maia Rackel both had 13 kills in that match. Kate Barry finished with 31 assists and 15 digs while Elaine Redman had 15 digs and Sidney Lapinski a dozen assists.
Johnson had 14 kills in the win over Jackson South Side while Barry had 16 assists and Rackel 13 digs.
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN STATS VS. SULLIVAN SOUTH:
Nicole Terfloth – 4 aces, 17 digs
Elaine Redman – 15 digs, 1 ace
Aubrie Johnson – 13 kills, 3 digs, 4 blocks
Kate Barry – 31 assists, 15 digs
Mackenzie Lewis – 5 kills, 2 digs, 1 block
Hallie Hunt – 12 digs, 1 ace
Maia Rackel – 2 aces, 13 kills, 16 digs, 5 blocks
Sidney Lapinski – 12 assists, 9 digs
Olivia Powers – 8 kills, 2 blocks, 3 digs
Cora Hansen – 1 dig, 1 block, 5 kills.
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN STATS VS. JACKSON SOUTH SIDE:
Nicole Terfloth – 9 digs, 1 ace
Elaine Redman – 8 digs
Aubrie Johnson – 2 blocks, 14 kills, 3 digs
Kate Barry – 2 blocks, 2 kills, 16 assists, 6 digs
Mackenzie Lewis – 3 kills, 1 dig
Hallie Hunt – 5 digs, 1 ace
Maia Rackel – 5 kills, 13 digs, 2 blocks
Sidney Lapinski – 10 assists, 5 digs, 4 aces
Olivia Powers – 5 kills, 2 digs
Cora Hansen – 2 kills, 2 digs, 1 block.
RED BANK STATS VS. DYERSBURG:
Shelby Romans – 7 assists, 5 kills, 6 digs
Maris Rennolds – 4 kills, 6 digs
Marjorie Smith – 1 assists, 10 kills, 7 blocks, 9 digs
Samantha Wright – 1 kill, 1 block
Hannah Wood – 10 assists, 5 kills, 7 digs
Layla Babb – 1 kill, 2 digs
Cassidy Payne – 2 aces, 10 digs
Mya Kennebrew – 1 block.
RED BANK STATS VS. PAGE:
Shelby Romans – 8 assists, 5 digs
Maris Rennolds – 1 ace, 2 kills, 9 digs
Marjorie Smith – 1 ace, 4 kills, 10 digs
Hannah Wood – 5 assists, 10 kills, 10 digs
Layla Babb – 4 kills, 6 digs
Cassidy Payne – 1 assist, 1 ace, 10 digs
Mya Kennebrew – 1 kill, 1 block.
(email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)
Hannah Wood (12) goes for a shot across the net in the Lionette's state volleyball tournament loss to Dyersburg, 3-0, on Wednesday at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro. They were later eliminated by Page High School.
photo by Dennis Norwood