Belgreen volleyball aims to mature
By Bart Moss / For the FCT
Belgreen varsity and junior varsity recently traveled to Shoals Christian, where both teams picked up wins.
The junior varsity, led by Bailey Oliver, accumulated five kills, 13 aces and 11 digs, winning in two sets, 25-20 and 25-11.
The varsity match was a challenge. Shoals Christian won the first set 25-20, but Belgreen came back and won the second set 25-16. The next set was a battle that ended with the Flame winning 28-26. Once again, the Lady Bulldogs fought to stay in the contest and won the fourth set 25-14 and the last set, to win the match, 15-9.
Setter Autumn Bragwell landed 40 assists, three kills, three aces and three digs. Freshman middle hitter Emma Dempsey had 20 kills and seven aces. Ansley Tate had 16 kills, three digs and four aces. Libero Bailey Wood had a total of 74 digs, including serve/receives, and three kills from behind the 10-foot line. The team had a total of 58 kills against Shoals Christian.
Tuesday both teams traveled to an area matchup with the Phillips Bears. The JV defeated Philips 2-1.
The varsity started off slowly, losing 13-25 in the first set but rebounding to win the second set 25-21.
“Too many errors and free balls cost us the win,” said Belgreen coach Teresa Whitten. The Bulldogs lost the next two sets 18-25 and 16-25. “We totally lacked confidence and maturity in the Phillips match.”
Thursday night, the eighth-ranked in 3A Colbert Heights Wildcats and Covenant Christian came to Belgreen for a tri-match. Belgreen lost the first set 20-25, but Whitten said she liked the tenacity her team showed in a loss to a very good team.
“I think our girls actually had their best performance of the year,” said Whitten.
The Bulldogs lost Ansley Tate in the match because of a recurring shoulder injury.
“My assistant Tressa Bragwell and I met with the girls between matches and told the girls how proud we were of their performance the first set, but they should never give up playing because of one setback,” said Whitten.
Belgreen rallied and beat Covenant Christian 2-1. Bragwell had 20 assists, five kills, two blocks and one ace. Katie Dempsey had 12 kills. Her sister Emma Dempsey had 11 kills, one block and two aces. Gracie Dempsey, a defensive specialist, and Wood, the libero, had more than 40 digs between the two of them.
“I have been reminded by trusted friends, fans and family that although I have some veteran players as far as years, they are still a young team consisting mainly of tenth graders,” said Whitten. “We also have a ninth grader and an eighth grader who start on varsity.”
Whitten said she sees progress from last year. “Tressa and I have been focusing on correcting other areas such as the mental part of playing, so hopefully as the season progresses, we will begin to fill those high expectations we have had since last October.”
Two of Belgreen’s players have been nominated for 1A Player of the Week by AL.com: Autumn Bragwell and Emma Dempsey.
