MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Signal Mountain proved that what goes around comes around.
The Lady Eagles’ first high school varsity volleyball team was put together three years ago, and Friday they defeated Boyd-Buchanan 3-1 at Middle Tennessee State University for the TSSAA Class A championship.
Signal Mountain coach Jennifer Redman said the first thing she did when starting the program was take the players to a camp at Murfreesboro.
“They started here,” Redman said of her seniors, “and they ended here.”
Setter Georgia Paturalski and twin hitters Sydni and Andi Abbajay have played pivotal roles in the growth of the program, and Kelsey Sivley has been a key contributor serving. Paturalski had 43 assists and 10 digs in the championship match.
Signal Mountain finished third in the state last season and returned everyone except for one transfer. Andi Abbajay recalled the motivation derived from the feeling leaving Murphy Center a year ago.
“We heard, ‘Why are ya’ll crying? You’re going to be coming back next year anyway,'” she said after producing 10 kills, eight digs and four aces in the final.
Redman said this team’s maturity was a key reason it was able not only to return but also to take home the championship trophy. The coach said that the seniors admitted on the elevator ride to the concourse afterward to having a great “weight lifted off their shoulders.”
Signal Mountain (51-15) took the first game in the championship match 25-17 before losing the next 19-25. The Lady Eagles pulled out the third game 25-23 and won the last game 25-17.
“We came out and I think they were focused,” Redman said. “We lost the second game and then it was like ‘Oh goodness. We’re at the state tournament and we’re losing.’
“I told them, ‘We just need to do what we do best, and that’s serving and hitting. Forget we’re at the state tournament.'”
The matchup was the fifth this season between the teams. They split during the regular season, each winning at home, then Signal Mountain beat the Lady Bucs in the Region 3 final at Boyd-Buchanan. The Lady Eagles’ victory in Thursday’s winners-bracket final marked the fourth meeting.
Sydni Abbajay, who had six kills and 12 digs in the final, said she thought the turning point of the season was when they lost at Boyd-Buchanan during the regular season. Both Abbajays agreed that critics were plentiful at that time and that got them focused.
“We had standards we had to meet,” Sydni said. “This feels good. I feel confident in our future teams. I hope to be back next year watching.”
Boyd-Buchanan (41-22) won the 2009 title but graduated four starters.
“I’m so proud of these girls this year,” Lady Bucs coach Amber Nolen said. “I asked them afterward if they remembered play day. They knew where I was going. It was just bad volleyball. Everybody starts out like that.
“From the first practice until now the girls have stepped up. I don’t think they could go any harder.”