The chemistry continues to grow for the Caledonia High School volleyball team.
Buoyed by two victories Friday in the opening day of the Set It Off Challenge at Ridgeland High, Caledonia built on that effort with three more wins Saturday to win a team title at the event for the third-straight season.
Caledonia (8-1) defeated Alcorn Central and New Albany to advance to the championship match, where it beat Lafayette in three sets to take the trophy.
Caledonia coach Samantha Brooks feels the motivation to win a title for a third-straight year at the tournament gave the team an extra push, especially after it dropped the second set to Lafayette.
“Mentally we are more focused. We don’t get down as easily. In the past, we would let points go,” Brooks said. “This year, I think in almost every match I have seen, we get down a few points but we don’t let it affect us.”
Tori Brooks led a balanced attack with 28 kills and five aces. Lizzie Truelock had 21 kills, while Kennedy Lambert had 15 kills and five solo blocks. Maddy Suggs had 44 digs. Camryn Johnson had 86 assists and seven aces. Ansley Brown led the way with eight aces. She also had 10 kills and 30 digs. Olivia Boykin also had 24 digs and seven aces. Carlee Dale had 25 digs and six aces.
Brooks said all 10 members of the varsity roster (one player is out with a season-ending injury) are contributing. She said that is crucial because the Lady Confederates don’t have a lot of size. Brooks said Caledonia makes up for that with solid defensive play. She said the team’s improved awareness of where to attack opponents on the serve and its ability to hit to different spots on the court have helped it stay in every point.
“We have learned to play smart in out of system plays to earn the point if we can’t put it away at the net,” Brooks said.
On Friday, Caledonia defeated Hickory Flats and Grace Christian 2-0. In its second match Saturday, Brooks said Caledonia eliminated New Albany, which swept it 3-0 in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class III playoffs. The loss ended Caledonia’s season at 25-11.
Brooks didn’t feel Caledonia was intimidated against New Albany like she thought it was last season. That added confidence also was on display against Lafayette. It helped lift the Lady Confederates after they dropped a 29-27 second set.
Brooks said the Caledonia players stayed loud on the bench throughout the final match. She also said the players on the court continued to support each other and were loud in their communication.
“There is not a lot of ‘I’ in it,” Brooks said, referring to a team approach that has fueled the Lady Confederates. “Even when we are down they are still talking each other up. I think that helps them pull each other out of situations. We play with a lot of really great chemistry.”
Caledonia opened the season with victories against Alcorn Central and Corinth at the Pontotoc Classic.
Last season, Caledonia finished second to Lafayette in district play by the difference of points in a set. Two years ago, Caledonia won the district.
Optimism for the 2018 campaign blossomed after Caledonia won a team title at the Bob Bertucci Volleyball Camp at Tupelo High. Maddy Suggs received the Coach’s Award at the Bertucci Camp for the second-consecutive season. Caledonia also won a four-team tournament at the Mississippi University for Women’s volleyball camp.
Brooks said Caledonia will continue to revel in its “small but mighty” stature and play a scrappy brand of volleyball that includes getting as many touches on balls at the net and then relying on its defense to do its thing.
Stronger chemistry and a knack for having fun on the court also have been important to the team’s success, Brooks said.
“They know all of this is practice for later on in the season and the playoffs and playing for a state championship,” Brooks said. “Like you said, they are all invested in it.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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