The 7th/8th graders did not pass their first big test of the season, as they were beaten in a battle of undefeated teams Saturday in straight sets 25-21, 25-12.
After winning their first three games in two sets, a first set loss seemed to rattle them and they never recovered from it.
Edwena was able to serve the girls out to leads in the first three games but the other team started returning her serves, something the team wasn't used to. They simply weren't ready for the ball to come back.
They trailed in the first set until Tiffany served the girls back within striking distance and even tied the game. But from there it all unraveled, as the girls began to let balls drop in between them as well as bump their balls in a very uncontrolled manner.
The second set was an absolute disaster to say the least.
With their confidence shaken, the girls never regrouped and instead got lazy, and just played out the string, and the 13 point differential in the second set was no joke.
At one point, it got so bad the girls were trailing 17-3.
One girl on the team used only one arm to bump the ball, and a few others were just a step slow to the ball. When these girls have bad things happen to them on the court, they don't do a good job of letting things go and they carry it with them for the rest of the match.
If everything falls into place the rest of the season, these two teams will meet once again in the playoffs. Furthermore, the two teams still have a date with each other in the regular season.
But the 7th/8th graders (3-1) can use this game as a wake up call and measuring stick of where they need to be if they are serious about contending for the title.
You learn a lot more from losing than you do winning, and hopefully the girls learned something.
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