The Bradwell Institute Volleyball team got off to a strong start this season The Lady Tigers defeated the Liberty County Panthers in two straight sets last Thursday (30-28)(25-17). It was a dog fight until the end for both teams. 

“Liberty County has a great young team,” said Coach DeAndre Davis. “They are filled with a lot of talent. Coach Lewis will get them to where they need to be. This was the first game of the year for both teams. The girls really played together and motivated each other. As a coach, you always set the bar high for your athletes.”

Davis also promised that some issues would be fixed before the team traveled to Ware County Tuesday. The scoring was balanced, he said. (Ky’leo Worriels 13, Kiara Simmons, Nicki Lakin 10, Reshae Sutton 8, Nyasia Mackey 7, Jocelyn Robles 4) 

“Nicki Lakin, Ky’Leo Worriels and Nyasia Mackey make up the nucleus of the team,” Davis said. “We are only as strong as these three are. They bring a lot of energy to the team.”

On the defensive end, the ladies are all over the place, according to Davis. 

“They are diving on the floor, digging impossible balls, blocking easy kills and running out of bounds to get a ball back on the court or across the net,” he said. “The energy was unreal last night (Thursday). I was extremely excited about the results of the game. The more we play together, the better we will get as a team!”

In the JV match, the Lady Tigers loss was tough to bear, Davis said. 

“The majority of these ladies have never played volleyball before,” he said. “They will also continue to get better. Precious Vela is an emotional leader who plays with a lot of heart. She is only a freshman. She is small in stature, but plays big. Alexi Hover is another standout freshman. She has a lot of power. Once she gains more confidence, she will be just fine. These two will be get better as the season moves along.”