Lady Tiger volleyball coach Readie Kelly said her squad was unexpectedly thrust into region action Tuesday after a scheduling error pitted the team against the Jenkins Lady Warriors for Bradwell’s first home game.
The Tigers lost the first set 20-25, but took the next two, 25-18 and 25-20.
Kelly said Jenkins, Camden and her team will battle it out to earn the top spot in Region 3-AAAAA.
"Now we know what Jenkins has and we will face Camden further down the road," she said immediately after Tuesday’s home victory. "We have a good team."The coach said her team is young with only two seniors, but all players have seen plenty of time on the court.
"So we are talking about a team where some players are not necessarily at the top of their skills and others who have plenty of game experience," she said. "And when you can put experience and skills together and your experience can teach the ones that don’t have the skills what else can you ask for?"
She said the fact that they are younger, but better, means there is room for growth and squad development.
"The young girls are willing to play and Camille (Jackson), Tunya (Quintunya Chapman) and ReeRee (Tyreesha Evans), my team captains, they stepped up," she said.
The coach said she has seen vast improvements from Kionica Hatchell, Chapman and Jackson. She said she was pleased with the addition of former FPCA player Leiatia Leiatuaua.
The coach was out of town for a few weeks, visiting a new grandchild. After returning, she missed a few practices because of hand surgery. But she said her squad never missed a session.
"These captains really stepped up and took control of this team," she said. "I couldn’t have asked for a better squad. There are a few things that we have to learn to work together… We’ve been working together in practice… But now we know what it takes to work together as a team."