Austin & Good Hope challenge, but can not defeat Lady Bearcats:
GDW Analysis:
Last weekend the new volleyball season for Cullman with new coach Amy Hudson began. They went 0 & 4 in the well known Juantia Boddie Tournament from the Finley Center in Hoover.
Things changed in the first full week of 2024 AHSAA regular season play.
Bearcat Arena served as a comfort zone for Cullman to win four of four opportunities.
The Lady 'Cats Thursday claimed victory against Austin two games to one and rallied vs. Good Hope in straight sets.
Hudson said to Gameday Weekly, her squad did not perform to the level of expectation in Hoover.
It was a very different team that was challenged by Hartselle and Springville Tuesday and Thursday in facing Austin who was 2 & 1 and Good Hope undefeated in 4 regular season matches, 7 & 2 overall.
Starting the tri match with Austin, Cullman took the opener 25 to 21.
The pair went back and forth as the largest lead in the 1st set was early for Cullman at 8 to 4 on a kill by Clementine Hollingsworth.
Austin managed to take a 17 to 15 lead after they scored on a block near the net.
Cullman answered as a kill by Karina Harris sent them on top to stay at 22 to 21. Four consecutive points on serve by Ainsley Cameron gave the Lady 'Cats a 1 to 0 lead in the series.
The 2nd set was a dandy as again, both changed the lead on the scoreboard.
Cullman moved ahead 24 to 23 when a four hits infraction was called against Austin during a serve by Olivia Dover.
Three consecutive kills from the Decatur visitor closed out the set in their favor, 26 to 24 and a tiebreaking set would be needed.
These two once more was dealing with getting in front and coming from behind.
Cullman broke Austin's service and five straight from the service line by Cameron gave them an exciting victory in a match played in 1 hour, 6 minutes.
Austin would gain a split in the tri match from defeating Good Hope in two tight battles, 25 to 22 and 25 to 20.
Playing well for Good Hope as GDW was glad to see senior Jolee McHan back on the floor. She had torn ligaments in her leg during the basketball season last year.
McHan has worked hard in rehab and her effort on the front row and service line was pleasing for coach Natasha Holder to analyze.
Very good play by Campbell Koch as the setter, plus the hitting of Carley Adams and hustle by Jordan Sanders, Caselynn Whatley, Chloe Eisner, Lexi Marshall, Molly Johnson and Mattie Wix allowed the defending Cullman County tournament champion to take the 7A school down to the wire before Austin pulled it out in a match played in 47 minutes.
The local showdown was well controlled by Cullman in the first set.
Good Hope took a 3 to 0 lead on positive plays by McHan and Koch.
Blakely Brannon produced a kill to get the Lady 'Cats on the board and then would show her greatness at the service line. She ran off 14 consecutive points before her time at the line was broken on a kill from Adams.
Cullman flexed its muscles for the largest victory in a set on the day, 15 points. The set concluded on a kill by JerrieSue Godbee at approximately 7:19 p,m.
Defeated in the opener, Good Hope set itself up by romping to a 7 to 0 lead from serves by Koch and kills at the net by Adams. Good Hope showed toughness in overcoming Cullman after the first set and making things happen with the match very much on the possibility of being taken into a tiebreaking set.
Cullman made a run when three straight on serve from Harris trimmed the deficit to 10 to 7.
After a kill by Adams gave Good Hope an 18 to 13 cushion, six straight was scored from Harris to send Cullman ahead for the first time at 19 to 18.
Livy Smith stepped it up in serving with two kills by Brannon and one from Lily Nixon and a game ending block by Hollingsworth ended the match at 7:50 p.m.
Cullman is now 4 & 4 as they will take the weekend off and resume play in a tri match at West Point Tuesday, playing West Point and No.1 ranked Addison from Class 1A.
Good Hope is 7 & 4 overall with the Lady Raiders to be laboring on Saturday in a tournament at Supreme Courts in Guntersville.
Photo of Cullman VB coach Amy Hudson writing our her lineup prior to the match with Good Hope Thursday at Bearcat Arena.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
