GRIT.  The word the Lady Dragon Volleyball team proudly wears, chants and, more importantly, embodies every time they take the court.  With their opening game of the 2023 season in Declo Wednesday, August 22, proved once again, that despite the ups and downs of a game, they will play with grit to the very last serve.

  Like the start of any new season, the team is getting to know new players in new positions, using their strengths and how to pull together as a team to make up for one another’s weaknesses.  In no way was it a flawless game, but it was a perfect game of coming together as a team and working hard to take home the win.

In Wednesday night’s game, it took some time for the Lady Dragon’s to get in their groove, but once they did, there was no stopping them.  Halfway into the first game, the Lady Dragon front row brought on a full assault that the Declo Hornets couldn’t shut down.  Middle Katie Allen, outside hitter Brynnlee Jones and right side hitter Izzy Haycock not only brought a series of killer hit, but also solid blocks and quick digs that took the Lady Dragons on a roll.  Senior Adley Kimberling stepped up to serve with the score Malad, 18, Declo 12 and led them to a game one victory 25 to 12.  Haycock brought the Lady Dragons to game point as she pounded through a double block followed by the winning point from a Declo error.

The second game of the match started off with intense play, both teams upping their game with better passing, reading the ball and making big saves.  The rallies back and forth would go on and on, demanding better execution with each play.  One rally in particular called on a quick save by both Haycock and Hallie Horsley, followed by a big dig by defensive specialist Brylee Oglesbee and a solid block by middle Liv Nelson to win the point for Malad.  With every play, the Lady Dragons depend on both their grit and their teammates to find success on the court.

Kimberling led her team well as setter, making the most of each play as she set up her hitters to slam the ball across the net to the Hornets.  Horsley brought her powerful swing from the first attack of the game, hitting with her signature outside hit, an explosive back row attack and even a scrappy left handed hit to keep the ball alive, leading the team with 18 kills.

Consistent serves from the Lady Dragons put the pressure on the Hornets throughout the game, with Teagan Daniels, Kimberling, and Oglesbee having long runs from the service line.  All too often, their powerful serves created chaos for Declo, causing errors or prime opportunities for a Dragon assault.  Demonstrated at its best, Kimberling served the final point of the second game that left the Hornets unable to answer and put Malad up, 25-21.

Declo came to the third game better prepared and answered nearly every MHS point with one of their own.  Just as the Lady Dragons would take charge of the game, the Hornets would step up to dig the big hits, put up a solid block and push the ball to the unmanned corners.  

Stopping a Hornet run with the game, Nelson and front row blockers had a series of incredible blocks.  Nelson read the Hornet offense and put a stop to a quick push through the middle for a MHS point.  One the very next play, the Nelson + Haycock duo had a killer double block to shut down the outside Hornet attack.  Trying to get around the solid front row defense, Declo attempted to hit over the block, just to send the ball out of bounds.  On the next play, Nelson and Horsley shut down one more attempt from the right side attack, followed by a second hit over the block and out of bounds.

Of all their play throughout the game, Head Coach Camie Tripp was most proud of their front row defense, saying, “Our defense and blocking was solid!  Declo hit well and we covered it well.  For the first game I was so pleased with our defense and our transition game.”

Despite their solid defense, the Lady Dragons just couldn’t keep ahead of the Hornets as the third game wore on.  Declo eventually steamed ahead to take the lead, 24 points to Malad’s 21.  Just when they thought they were one simple point away from a forth game, the Lady Dragons dug deep and relied on their signature grit to pull them through.

Having to play flawlessly at this point in the game, Horsley read the defense to put the perfect hit over the block and short of the passers to win the point and the serve for Malad.  Mikell Keetch stepped up as she came off the bench and into the rotation to serve a number of perfect serves.  The MHS team worked play by play and point by point to close the distance on the score board with a dive and huge save, as well as a kill hit through a double block by Horsley and a quick block by Kimberling.  

With Malad now up by one point, Declo called a timeout to scramble their team back together.  Undeterred, the Lady Dragons put up their final point as Daniels chased a shanked ball clear out of the court to keep it alive for Malad, followed by a big dig by Keetch on the next volley across the net to force a Declo error to win the game, 26-24.

Commenting on the game, Coach Tripp said, “Our grit to come back in the third set when we were down 21-21 was such a highlight of this game.  I’m super proud of their fight!”

The season is still young and there are still kinks to work out for the Lady Dragon volleyball team, but they are starting things off in the right way as learn to fight with grit, work together as a team and ultimately, bring home the wins.