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Mount Pleasant downs Albemarle in season-opener

Photo by James Nix

Mount Pleasant's Bailey Schadler, 7, and Elizabeth Widenhouse, 14, try to block a shot by Carson Tuesday night in China Grove.

By Steve Winzenread | Independent Tribune

Published: August 18, 2009

MOUNT PLEASANT — The preliminaries are under way, with the big show yet to come.

That's the shape South Piedmont Conference 3A volleyball is taking this season.

Mount Pleasant got its season going on Monday, wearing the pink uniforms for breast cancer awareness that became familiar a year ago when the Tigers played at home.

Their opponent for the 2009 opener was a former Rocky River Conference foe, Albemarle. Mount Pleasant won 25-21, 25-14, 25-23.

The season may have begun on Monday, but it was not the start of preparation for the Tigers.

"We were at Appalachian (State) the end of July," veteran coach Michelle Barrett said. "We had a couple of scrimmages the next week, and we started volleyball the next week. We had camp last week.

"The girls were in here for about six hours a day, although I'm not so sure it showed today."

You don't coach teams to more than 300 career wins without being a stickler.

"Our communication was not that great," Barrett said. "Our footwork was not that great, which means we're going to the floor more than we should and not making passes as good as we should.

"I think we have a lot of strength and potential as far as hitting and blocking. I don't think we were that smart overall at times with our blocking today."

The Tigers trailed 19-17 in the first game before scoring eight of the final 10 points. The last three were a kill by Rebecca Love, an ace by Love and a kill by Elizabeth Widenhouse.

Mount Pleasant dominated the second game, getting the decisive point on another kill by Widenhouse, a junior.

The Tigers were behind 22-20 in game three, but again finished strong. A great dig by Karley Bowman kept the point going before Jocelyn Parnell got the kill for a 24-23 lead, then Parnell's ace ended the match.

Love finished with 9 kills and 4 blocks, Parnell had 7 kills and Taylar Thomas added 11 assists. All three players are seniors.

The Tigers' varsity roster includes six seniors, seven juniors and a sophomore.

"We really have a lot of strength," Barrett said. "We've got some good kids who didn't get into the game, some really good hitters and blockers. I'm still trying to figure out what lineup we're the strongest in."

It's all part of getting ready for SPC play, where Cabarrus County opponents will match up.

"We're excited," Barrett said. "I'm really expecting we're going to play some matches that last an hour-and-a half to two hours, and it will just be a fight, back and forth, back and forth. I can't wait."

Mount Pleasant won Monday's junior varsity match 30-28, 25-15. Kathryn Eudy had 5 assists and 5 aces in the win.