The Choctaw County volleyball team opened the season last weekend with two wins and two losses at the Set It Off Tournament in Ridgeland. The Lady Cougars defeated Pisgah 25-18 and 25-21 and Senatobia 27-25 and 25-15. Losses came against St. Joseph of Madison 25-23 and 25-22 in games that were as tight as the scores would indicate, and Starkville 25-14, 25-10.
Coming off a 12-17 season when Choctaw County failed to make the MHSAA playoffs, coach Miranda Worrell was pleased with what she saw. “I see a lot more fight. I see a lot more experience. I see a lot more confidence. It's not so much physically that they are so much better, but mentally they are clicking.
“They have a good attitude about each other. They are working together,”
Both games with St. Joseph were tied 10 times, the last time at 20-20 in the first game and 21-21 in the second game, and neither team ever led by more than four points. Choctaw County ran off six straight points, five with LaGenesis Johnson serving, for a 21-18 lead in the second game. But St. Joseph ended the match on a 7-1 run.
Choctaw County played Starkville, a 6A school, less than two hours after the St. Joseph match. “We were mentally and physically drained from playing St. Joe,” Worrell said.
She experimented with the lineup in preparation for a regular season matchup with the same team that was set to be played on Tuesday. Finding reliable substitutes after the starting six is a goal.
Against Pisgah, Johnson hit 100 percent and had four digs, Caden Miles served 100 percent and Veronica Molina had three solo blocks and one block assist.
In the Senatobia match, Cagle served 100 percent, Molina hit 66.7 percent and had six digs and Johnson hit 62.5 percent. Against St. Joseph, Hammons and Mary Claire Cagle served 100 percent, Johnson had nine digs, three solo blocks and one block assist, and Molina had nine digs.
Hammons, Cagle and Addie Stacy all served 100 percent against Starkville and Hammons had eight digs.
Choctaw County had only one senior on the team last year ago. Hammons led the team in service point with 228 and digs (86) and was second in kills (87). Johnson led in kills with 116 and blocks with 34. Miles was first in assists with 220.
Choctaw County has a home match with New Hope Thursday,
