By Chris Sharp
The Volleyball Team won both their games against Andrew College and Gadsden State Community College by the score of 3-0 in a double-header but was defeated in a play-in game to enter the State Tournament.
PSC seemed to be the better team against Andrew College in the first game of the double-header. The Pirates’ defense played a tremendous role in the win. They were able to gain several points from blocks and made things challenging for Andrew College on the offensive side.
In the second game of the double-header against Gadsden State, our lady Pirates’ played well collectively and was able to secure a win against the Cardinals.
Y’tae Cobb had 11 kills for the Pirates, and Bentley Odom had 10 of her own. On the defensive side, Fanta Kouyate contributed with 4 blocks assisted. The Pirates tallied 38 kills and a total of 51 points.
In a rematch against Gadsden State the following day, the women’s volleyball team captured another win.
Elizabeth Thompson had 10 kills and a .409 killing percentage. She had one solo block and another block assisted. Thompson ended the game with a total of 11.5 points.
Chris Laird, Head Coach of the PSC Volleyball team, was pleased with his team’s overall performance. However, Laird mentioned his team’s lack of focus and complacency saying, “It is easy to do when you feel over confident.”
Besides the small mistakes mentioned by Coach Laird, their chemistry on the court seemed to be the team’s best attribute.
The communication they showed on the court separated them from their opponents. The enjoyment they had for one another, such as one of their teammates making a play, became contagious and it showed throughout the game.
“We talked about the bench players are just as important as the court players,” said Coach Laird. “This team just gets along, and we don’t have to manufacture that as much because they genuinely are excited for each other.”
The Pirates only have two more home games before State Tournament play begins so the outcome of the games will play a crucial role.
“We’ll play Santa Fe Friday and Jacksonville on Saturday, and they’re our last two homes games and they’re conference,” Laird said. “So in order for us to go to the State Tournament, we’ve got to finish 1 or 2.”
The Lady Pirates had a chance to enter into the FCSAA State Tournament but fell short to Sante Fe College out of Gainesville, Florida. Santa Fe secured their spot in the tournament while the Pirates played their last game of the season against Coastal Alabama-Brewton on October 26th.
In the game against Santa Fe, Zadie Engelberger led the Pirates with 15 kills and a total of 17.0 points. Bailey Powell contributed with 13 kills and Y’tae Cobb followed with 10. Our Pirates were able to take the first set but fell short the next three, ending their chance to play in the State Tournament.
In a follow-up game, and the last game of the season, our Pirates defeated Alabama-Brewton 3-0. Bailey Powell led the way with 12 kills and finished with 14.0 points. The team finished with an overall record of 12-11 with an impressive 8-3 home record. Our Lady Pirates had an outstanding year and we look forward to seeing the team play next season. Go Pirates!