Turning it around… Boone’s first-game rally sets tone for Lady Cyclone defeat
Published 6:00 am Wednesday, August 21, 2019
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Kaitlin Bailey attempts to dink the ball over the outstretched hands of Boone's Jaycie Jenkins (7) and Dannah Persinger (10).
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Morgan Smith (11) and Kaitlin Bailey (23) of Elizabethton attempt to block a shot from Boone's Greyson Stevens (12).
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclones Hannah Boster (25) and Mattie Davis (4) attempt to get a hand on a ball hit by Boone's Jaycie Jenkins.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclone Kallista DePrimo had a big fan in the stands on Monday in Elizabethton's match against Boone.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Josie Lyons gets set to serve in Monday's match against Daniel Boone.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
Volleyball sometimes is a crazy game because one team can come out with fire in their eyes and a late-game rally can all of a sudden turn the momentum on its heels.
Such was the case Monday evening inside A.L. Treadway Gymnasium when the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones opened the first game running out to six quick points and appeared to be heading to the first game win in the best of the five-game match.
That’s when Boone found its bearings to come back and defeat the Lady Cyclones 28-26 in the first game and took that momentum in sweeping the next two games 25-21 and 25-18 to win the match.
A large crowd was on hand and the place was electric as the two teams went back and forth trying to pull out an emotional first game.
After losing the game, the Lady Cyclones just couldn’t regain their focus and that showed in the final game as Coach Leslee Bradley’s squad seemed to unable to take advantage of opportunities in losing several points on miscues of their own doing.
Bradley admitted that the tough loss in game one seemed to turn the tide saying, “It definitely did. We quit playing a little too early because we had them on the ropes and there was a call or two that could have gone our way and that didn’t help anything.
“But you can’t let one point change the next three points and that’s what we did. We took our foot off the gas pedal and stopped pushing there. That set the tone for the rest of the night and gave Daniel Boone some momentum and that was big.”
With Boone utilizing stinging play at the net, the Lady Cyclones didn’t back down from the challenge.
“If the pass and set are in the right spot, you know they are going to be bringing it with a lot of heat on it,” stated Bradley. “But I thought that we handled that.
“Our height, you know we will talk about that all season long, but I thought most of the time we put a good block up in front of their hitters and at least made their hitters think about that a little bit. We played some good defense there.
“We are okay with the other team having some hitters because we can balance that.”
Even though Elizabethton had the opportunity to force the issue by taking the match to the full five games, in the third game the Lady Cyclones became a little lackadaisical in their intensity and proved to be the final nail in the coffin.
“I think it was a loss of focus and not putting forth the amount of energy it takes. We kind of got down a little and got in our heads and got frustrated and let that dictate our play,” Bradley said.
“Even though we have five seniors and a lot of returning players from last year, we have added some players and this team is really trying to feel itself out a little bit. I am excited because they are a hard-working group and I am just excited to see the progress we make in the next couple of weeks.”
The Lady Cyclones took the court again Tuesday night on the road at Johnson County and have another big Three Rivers Conference game on Thursday when they go on the road to Bluff City to take on Sullivan East.
Freshman action kicks off at 4:30 pm followed by junior varsity and varsity play.
