Volleyball kicks off season with three home games

WADESBORO — The familiar blow of a whistle and encouraging claps filled the Anson High School gymnasium as the volleyball team finally started their much-anticipated season on Nov. 17.

The team played three home games in a row, resulting in a 2-1 record.

Excitement and nervous jitters took some time to shake off during the Bearcats first game against Montgomery Central. Both sides of the net needed time to warm up as it was the season opener for each team.

In each game, the Bearcats were slow off the start. Anson trailed Montgomery Central the first five points of the game. Then again against Mount Pleasant, the team let the first two points of the game slip.

But it never took long for Anson to get back into game mode.

Anson quickly adjusted, communicated and worked together for a 3-0 victory against Montgomery Central on Nov. 17, although the team battled for every point, making each set a close one.

In the second set, the Bearcats rallied from behind to win the set 25-20 and in the third set, 27-25.

As the game went on, you could hear each team getting into the groove of playing again as both sides communicated loudly, calling for the ball and shouting encouraging words to their teammates.

Head coach Patty Livingston said she was proud of the girls for how they played in the first game of the season.

She rotated all of her players in to get a sense of who would work best in different positions. Livingston had to do this during the first game, instead of figuring out the logistics during preseason, because the team’s scrimmage was canceled the week before.

In the game against Mount Pleasant, Anson fell behind early, losing the first set by 10 points.

Defense turned around and the team came out controlling the second set, leading to an Anson 25-20 victory.

The entire game went back and forth between Anson and Mount Pleasant, forcing them to play all five sets. Both teams battled for every single point during the last set, leading up to a 13-13 tie before the final timeout was called. The Bearcats could not hold on and the team fell short to Mount Pleasant by two points.

“It doesn’t matter if they get down, they keep playing,” Livingston said. “I’m really proud of the girls. They did not give up.”

The loss only fueled the fire for the team as they came out swinging the next game. Anson defeated Central Academy of Technology and Arts on Nov. 23 in three sets.

The Bearcats play their first road game after the press deadline on Nov. 24 at West Stanly High School another game Livingston predicts will be tough. The team will be on a six-game away streak before returning home on Dec. 18.