Mexico hadn't played North Central Missouri Conference and Class 3 District 6 rival Fulton since the first match of the season.
The Lady Bulldogs looked better than in any of those previous …
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Mexico hadn't played North Central Missouri Conference and Class 3 District 6 rival Fulton since the first match of the season.
The Lady Bulldogs looked better than in any of those previous three sets, leading Fulton 14-8 in the first set, but ultimately lost in straight sets again (25-23, 25-16, 25-14) on Monday at home.
Even though a loss was the result, head coach Tami Sells said Mexico (0-9, 0-5 NCMC) showed growth in this first opportunity to replay an opponent.
"We were able to put down some really good blocks, and we had some great passes," Sells said. "Our team, especially the first set, looked so good. We have such high highs, and then all of a sudden, we have one mistake and get in our heads a little bit."
Fulton (8-5, 3-1 NCMC) rattled off a 9-0 run in the first set as it started collecting more service aces from Bre Knighten. Mexico held off set point four times before Fulton took initial set.
Sells said the skills around the roster have improved and there were good signs of teamwork when things were going well.
"That's the team I know we can be all the time," Sells said about the first set. "It was the teamwork in setting up for three hits and there were a couple of blocks thrown in there. It was really everything collectively together."
Claire Isgrig led with nine kills, seven digs and two blocks; Layla Belcher had four kills and eight digs; Julia Goerne had seven kills, 12 assists and five digs; Ava Herron led with 16 digs; Brooke Smithee had seven digs and two service aces; and Camy Blackburn and Beth Borcherding each had two blocks.
Blackburn and Borcherding showed their expected roles, Sells said, and hopes they can continue bringing to the team.
"Our middles should be middle blockers as well as middle hitters," Sells said. "Reading that ball, knowing when to jump and knowing when to block it, that's exactly what I expect of them every day."
Mexico had its issues placing balls inbounds. The Lady Bulldogs' swings tended to be too powerful to send the ball sailing over Fulton's formation.
"It's just not doing proper mechanics," Sells said. "We're still working on consistency in our hitting. We have some great hitters. It's just the consistency that we're working on."
Like Monday, Mexico goes into tonight with a rematch at home against a conference foe. The Lady Bulldogs host Kirksville (6-4, 3-0 NCMC) at 6:30 p.m. after being swept by the Lady Tigers in Kirksville earlier this season.
The Lady Bulldogs have a match at district foe Bowling Green (2-10-2) on Thursday before closing this week with the Megan Gross Invitational on Saturday in Warrenton. Sells circled back to hitting consistency, saying it's the area she would like to see improvement in the future.
"That's where we need to improve," Sells said.
Mexico lost in straight sets (25-10, 25-15, 25-12) on Thursday at conference foe Hannibal (11-0-1, 2-0 NCMC). Belcher and Goerne each had three kills, and Goerne finished with six digs. Ava Herron led with nine digs, and Isgrig had seven digs.
