The first wave of conference volleyball games concluded on September 16. Through the seven game rotation, Mansfield ripped through the 3A-1 standings with a perfect conference record. Standing at 7-0, the record speaks for itself as the Lady Tigers of Mansfield are half way home to another conference championship.
Coming off a tough tournament weekend at Northside, Mansfield's confidence may have been slightly bruised as they looked to keep the conference slate clean a few days later. On September 13, the MHS Tigers faced Northside, Hackett, Pottsville and Clarksville in consecutive order at Saturday’s Northside Invitational Tournament.
Northside took down the Tigers 2-1 in pool play at 14-25, 25-19 and 14-25. Hackett caged the Tigers as well. In a teeter totter 3 game match that could have gone either way, Hackett prevailed 2-1 with scoring sets of 21-25, 25-19 and 29-27 .
Pottsville punched hard in the “silver” play portion of the tournament with a 2-0 victory. The Apaches’ raid rolled 25-15 and 25-22 in Pottsville’s favor. Clarksville then pulled the rug out from under the TIgers for a 2-1 win. The Panthers’s score line read 20-25, 25-25 and 15-8.
Mansfield took a one day rest and fired up the engines again on September 15. A home game against the familiar Clarksville would prove to be a jump start leading into the last of the conference rotation. The non-conference tune up against the Panthers restored some of Mansfield’s confidence as the Tigers exacted a bit of weekend revenge. The Tigers won the cat fight in stupendous fashion with set counts of 25-11, 25-19 and 25-12.
“We played really well that night,” exclaimed Mansfield sophomore defensive specialist Bailey Quick. “Our energy was way up! We were everywhere - nothing was dropping. We kept every ball in play. We were smart. Our hitters were able to control the sets, even if the sets were off target, they hit to the right spot. Our defense was really good that night.”
When the Panthers of Clarksville dug their claws the deepest, Quick contributed a 5 serve scoring sequence in the second set. Adeline Godwin and Abby Smith did the same as both young talents also nailed an ace. Their momentum plays occurred in the first set.
Godwin got it going in the service department during the decisive third set as well. The sophomore strung together a rotation of 7 points making the final set a rout.
The following night, Mansfield dipped back into the conference pool. Energy levels may have sapped the Tigers resources in the back to back situation. Yet, the Tigers still prevailed.
Mansfield went on the road to Charleston on September 16 to complete the first round of the conference double round robin. This match was much more of a test than expected. Charleston, who was 3-3 in conference action going into the match, was a tough out. Mansfield found a way, however, to squeak by the Charleston Tigers 3-0.
“Charleston was really scrappy,” admitted Quick. “Their defense was really good.”
Point of fact, Charleston forced Mansfield into a timeout late in the first set. Mansfield was reeling as the home Tigers climbed to 22 points in a really tight opening set between the two conference schools. The timeout ploy to stop the home team’s soaring momentum worked. Mansfield was scrappy as well and responded by taking the lead. The visiting Tigers stopped the dumping and pulled away with a narrow two point win.
“I thought we fought back really well after we got down,” Quick pointed out. “We didn’t play our best, but we still won. We started hitting later on and became more aggressive.”
Bailey Quick’s first cousin is Kerrington Quick. Kerrington was playing in only her third conference game of the season. She had recently been promoted off the junior varsity squad because of notable consistent play as a setter.
“I’ve only played in three conference games,” admitted Kerrington as she was asked about the team’s mindset after sweeping Charleston and the first seven conference matches. “It’s hard for me to explain as I’ve only been in the starting rotation since West Fork. Coach (Kaylie) Pyles came to me and said that I was making an impression in JV games.
“Our confidence was down,” admitted the new setter after the tough weekend. “We weren’t hitting the ball like the previous night, but we had good moments.”
The second set at Charleston was as tough as the first. Mansfield struggled with their usual tactics as the black and gold Tigers tried taking away the red and white Tigers’ middle game.
Whitley Boyd, Mansfield’s right side hitter, gave a clue to the Charleston strategy. “Well, I got a few more sets because they were dumping to our setter keeping our middle from hitting. Knowing Charleston was good competition, we had to keep pushing hard.”
Push hard, they did. Mansfield took a punch and kept coming. Ultimately, the visitors won on all cards with a 3-0 technical knockout. Charleston threw up a challenge, but Mansfield found a way to score despite not having their characteristically strong hitting night.
According to a member of the MHS coaching staff, “Charleston came to play and were scrappy defensively. Consequently, we had to work hard offensively to find holes and score points.”
The scoring was tight too. Other than the third set, points came at a premium with each rally. Energy stores had to kick in on the backside of a physical few days. Hard nose play on both sides of the net kept the final outcome closer than the 3-0 final count indicated.
Mansfield’s Kaylee Ward had a good share of the scoring line as usual. It just didn’t come in abundance from the middle like it has so much of the season. Similarly, Miley Clopton was limited from the left side as Charleston played away from the Tiger’s top two hitters. Both found enough hits, however, to keep Charleston at bay and always afraid of their scoring potential.
Boyd, just a junior, spun it this way when speaking about the Charleston road trip. “I feel like I need to be the biggest hype person - bring energy. I try to keep everyone up. With the younger classmen - their talent is so bright, I feel like my energy can keep them up.”
Sophomores Adeline Godwin and Abby Smith fit the mode of young talent as they have provided high productivity through the conference slate. Clopton and both Quick cousins have proven solid sophomores with high ceilings. Adding the steady, strong play of seniors Ward and libero Daisy Nelson, that talent blends well in the Tiger scheme. Give credit to juniors Danielle Lowery and Whitley Boyd as well. Each has found a way to make timely hits or key blocks from the middle or right side.
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