Dyersburg rallies for four-set win in season opener

Dyersburg senior Kate Schroeder leaps to make a serve during the Lady Trojans' four-set win over Chester County on Monday evening in the Terry Glover Gymnasium.

Photo/Jason Peevyhouse

By JASON PEEVYHOUSE

Sports Editor

The opening set on Monday night didn't go quite the way the Lady Trojan volleyball team wanted until the Dyersburg netters stormed back to take the next three sets to claim the season-opening match over Chester County in four sets in the Terry Glover Gymnasium.

“I told them we weren't playing our game,” Dyersburg Head Coach De'Licia Ahmad said she told the team between the first two sets. “We were nervous and this was our first home game so we expect a little bit of nerves. Once we started to calm down, we started to do what we're supposed to do.”

The first match of the season got off to a rough start for the Lady Trojans, who fell behind in the first set 10-1 before a Murphy Morgan kill helped begin to snap the black and gold out of it. In fact, Dyersburg was able to battle back and outscore the Lady Eagles 17-8 over the next few minutes as a Kalli Maclin kill tied the game at 18-18. Chester County was able to grab the momentum late and take the first set 25-22.

The Lady Trojans jumped out to an early 7-4 lead in the second set and added to it with a Maclin ace as well as a kill later in the set by the Lady Trojan senior. Maclin added another kill during the late stages of the set before a Morgan kill ended the set with a 25-19 win by Dyersburg.

Dyersburg was able to stay within striking distance during the third sets with a Morgan kill, a Payton Tyler ace and a Taniyah Brooks block but trailed 14-10 before a Dyersburg rallied tied the game. A Brooks kill tied the game again at 18-18 and a Preslee Quertermous kill put Dyersburg on top at 21-20. Addie Gatlin added a kill to get to set point on the way to a 25-22 win in the third frame.

The Lady Trojans trailed early on in the fourth set before a pair of Quertermous kills turned the tied. An ace from Avery Hinson as well as a Maclin kill and a Morgan block helped Dyersburg clinch the match with a 25-19 win in set four.

Ahmad shared some of the positives she saw during the four-set win over the Lady Eagles.

“The girls were able to adjust to change,” the Lady Trojans' head coach explained. “They're not usually good at it when we throw different people in there for new rotations. But today, they did good adjusting.”

On the other side of the coin, Ahmad said there are things her team still needs to work on this early in the season.

“We definitely need to work on serving,” Ahmad said. “And, just being where we're supposed to be defensively.”

Dyersburg began a string of three straight district games on Tuesday when the Lady Trojans host South Gibson at 6 p.m. The black and gold return to action on Thursday for their first road game of the season when they travel to Martin to take on Westview at 6 p.m.

“It always feels good starting with a win,” Ahmad said. “Hopefully, we can keep it going from here.”