EARLY — Playing without one of their starting middle blockers – Gwen Phillips – the Lady Horns struggled to establish a consistent rhythm during their season opening volleyball match Tuesday, a 26-24, 25-5, 25-12 home loss to the Wall Lady Hawks.
“I thought we performed really well,” Whitewood said. “We’re missing our big middle, but I thought overall for our very first match we are way above where we’ve ever been.”
Wall is coming off a 33-10 campaign and advanced three rounds deep in the playoffs last year. Early, meanwhile, posted a 24-14 record and was ousted in the bi-district round.
“I was happy with their hustle and their attitude, and overall I think they’re going to be contenders,” Whitewood said of the Lady Horns. “It was just a tough match against a tough team.”
Savannah Holt recorded two kills for Early followed by Carrigan Norris and Taylor Summers with one each.
Grace LaRue recorded a team-best 20 assists trailed by 17 from Summers, 13 from Norris, 10 from Alexa Portillo, two from Reagan Kirby and one apiece from Holt and Maddie Waldorf.
Summers served three aces while Norris added a pair.
Defensively, Summers led the way with 12 digs followed by LaRue with nine, Portillo with three, Norris, Bethany Tomlinson and Grecia Yebra with two each, and Waldorf with one.
The Lady Horns did not record a block.
In the opening set, the Lady Horns fell behind 8-1 early on and at one point faced a 15-5 deficit. Early, however, rattled off 11 of the next 12 points to draw even at 16. The Lady Horns even grabbed a 22-21 advantage late, but Wall was able to snatch the victory.
“We were right there if one or two more things go our way,” Whitewood said. “Right before the game our girls heard them say to take it easy on us, and that’s the mindset I want the other team to have, but I think we got a little intimated. But that’s OK because we’re on the right track.”
In the second set, Early again fell in a deep hole after surrendered the first six points. This time, the inconsistency that plagued the Lady Horns a year ago reared its head once more as Wall coasted to a 2-0 edge.
“That’s the inconsistency I’ve been talking about,” Whitewood said. “We can’t be that inconsistent. We have got to come out and keep fighting even if we lost and not get down 6-0.”
Early notched the first point in the final set and trailed just 9-5 until Wall wrestled away full control with a 10-2 run to open a 19-7 advantage.
The Lady Horns (0-1) will attempt to bounce back and notch their first victory next Tuesday in dual match against Brady and Coleman, hosted by Brady.
