No. 7: Lady Bulldogs prove volleyball dominance
Published 11:54 pm Friday, December 23, 2005
How does someone spell volleyball dominance?
A-D-D-I-S-O-N, may be the best way to start.
The Lady Bulldogs proved their mastery of the volleyball courts in Class 1A for the third-straight season.
But unlike the previous two state championships, Addison did not drop a single match over the entire season and only one set to Class 3A Danville.
“The big difference this season was a big group of seniors that had been on three state championship teams,” said head coach Pam Wilkins. “They felt the pressure to win in 10th and 11th grade and had a little more confidence throughout the season. Not having any injuries also helped us out this season.
“But the main reason for our success was being more experienced, older and confident.”
Much like the regular season, the Lady Bulldogs ran through the competition at the state tournament without any stumbling blocks jumping in their way.
Addison bounced Speake in the first round of tourney play by scores of 25-4, 25-10 and 25-17. Donoho suffered a similar fate in the semis as the Lady Bulldogs won 25-9, 25-7 and 25-13. The championship match went just as smooth against Spring Garden with Addison winning by sets of 25-8, 25-15 and 25-9.
“In the finals the last two years, we had struggled at the beginning,” Wilkins noted. “But this season, we came out very dominant. I think a lot of that comes back to experience. Playing such a tough regular season schedule also helped with that.”
Leading the way for the Lady Bulldogs this season was Auburn-signee Chelaine McCarty. The middle blocker provided a fierce inside blocking and hitting presence for her team.
“Chelaine is a very intimidating player,” Wilkins said. “She is as good defensively as she is on offense. Her blocking ability puts a lot of pressure on opponents. Jessy Willingham is just a 10th grader, by she can be just as intimidating.”
Seniors Lana Pigg, Lindsey Cobb, Cecily Salter and Katie Bose also showed the skills accumulated by three seasons of varsity volleyball experience had paid off, while underclassmen Willingham and Kayla Woodward gained valuable experience to help carry on the Lady Bulldog tradition for years to come.