Mexico found a way over the hump in the second set on Wednesday.
The Lady Bulldogs came back to beat North Callaway 28-26 but ultimately lost their home opener in four sets (14-25, 28-26, 14-25, …
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Mexico found a way over the hump in the second set on Wednesday.
The Lady Bulldogs came back to beat North Callaway 28-26 to win their first set of the season but ultimately lost their home opener in four sets (14-25, 28-26, 14-25, 13-25). Mexico (0-4) lost during its First Responders Night after allowing a 16-2 North Callaway (3-2) run in the third set and a 10-0 Ladybird run to start the fourth set.
Head coach Tami Sells said Mexico struggled putting the ball down on the other side of the net. She said it takes several steps to set up a good attack on every possession, and that process didn't produce enough to avoid hitting the net or out-of-bounds territory.
"We had attacks, we had great digs and we had great sets," Sells said. "We had some struggles getting proper attacks with some service errors as well."
Brooke Smithee and Averee Hamption each finished with four digs, Ava Herron had six digs and two service aces, Julia Goerne had nine digs, Claire Isgrig finished with four kills, and Charley Jackson recorded three kills
Sells said Mexico encountered its attack issues the most in the first and third sets. The issues faded away during the second set when Mexico went on a 9-0 run.
"The girls were keeping a better eye on the other side of the court to read where they're open and where they're not," Sells said. "They were doing a really good job of keeping an eye on those areas and targetting those with their pushes, tips or hits."
Jackson was a key player in that set as she softly guided balls over North Callaway's front row. Sells said Jackson doesn't have a full vertical coming off knee surgery but has done well since being cleared to play on the night of Mexico's first match on Aug. 28 in Fulton.
"She has a really great swing," Sells said. "When she gets it in, it's going to be a really hard swing. That's something she excels at."
Sells said the senior libero Herron is at the forefront of dedicated back row players Mexico has to set up its attackers. Goerne, Brooke Smithee and Averee Hampton also fall into this category of girls that will "put their all into diving for a ball."
Claire Isgrig is included in this list of high-effort players, Sells said, and she plays a key role in the offense. The all-conference senior was primarily a setter last season but is doing more attacking this year as a front row right hitter.
"We're running a 6-2 this year," Sells said. "That means we have six potential attackers and two setters. She's one of our best hitters so we decided to run a 6-2. Our other setters -- Layla and Julia --- are the same way."
After winning its first set of the season, Mexico hopes to win much more. The Lady Bulldogs (0-2 NCMC) were swept by tough competition on the road at North Central Missouri Conference foes Fulton and Kirksville and Hallsville and will play at conference foe Marshall (1-4, 0-2 NCMC) at 7 p.m. today.
"Our team dynamics were much better (Wednesday)," Sells said. "It was a more cohesive team unit with more positivity on the court. The girls played better as a team tonight."
