Outcomes of expectedly close competitions that end up lopsided tend to have one thing in common: One participant plays to its capabilities while the other plays far from it.
Such was the case Thursday at Boyd-Buchanan.
The Lady Buccaneers hosted Signal Mountain in a high school volleyball match between programs that finished first and third, respectively, in last year’s Class A state tournament. It would not send shockwaves throughout the Chattanooga area if these teams met again in the Region 3 final, as they did last season.
Closer to shocking, Boyd-Buchanan defeated the Lady Eagles 25-17, 25-13, 25-23 and improved to 9-3-2.
“This was the most controlled our team has been this season,” Boyd-Buchanan coach Amber Nolen said. “We did a really good job. Even on off-passes, we still did a good job with a term I like to use called ‘bettering the ball.’ We missed so few serves, there wasn’t much of a momentum changer.
“The girls came in the gym ready.”
The opposite was true for Signal Mountain (8-2). When asked where things went wrong, coach Jennifer Redman took both index fingers and pointed at her head.
“Right here,” she said. “Our momentum stopped as soon as we walked in the gym. We played not to lose. We were timid and not being aggressive.”
The Lady Bucs played and defeated Signal Mountain three times last season.
“The difference between this year and last year is we graduated four seniors,” said Nolen, noting Signal Mountain lost none to graduation, but one starter did transfer. “I think that motivates the girls and makes them want to work even harder. They want to keep the upper hand.”
Boyd-Buchanan scored the first four points of the match and never trailed in the first game.
Signal Mountain twice led by a point in the second game, but the Lady Bucs took the lead for good when they broke the tie at 7. Boyd-Buchanan finished strong, scoring seven of the final eight points.
Despite falling behind 3-0, the Lady Eagles led most of the third game. One of Callie Hildebrand’s nine kills put them ahead 6-5, and the Lady Bucs didn’t tie it again until 20.
Rachel Harper topped the Lady Bucs with 18 kills and 22 digs, and three of her four aces were in succession during the closing stretch in the second game. Redman said she’s tried to schedule opponents with strong left-side hitters because she expects to see more of Harper.
“We’ll see them again when it counts,” Redman said.
Jessica Kirk set for 24 assists in the victory and also had three aces and six digs.
Signal Mountain setter Georgia Paturalski totaled nine assists, five digs and two aces, and most of her six kills were off fake sets. Allie Jennings led with 11 digs.