MORRISTOWN
Greenwood Christian Academy’s volleyball team entered Thursday’s first-round sectional matchup against Central Christian having lost eight consecutive matches.
Observers who watched the Cougars for the first time on Thursday would have had no idea about those previous struggles.
GCA easily handled the Chargers, dominating play in all facets in a 25-18, 25-12, 25-14 victory. The win improved the Cougars to 12-19 and advanced them to Saturday’s Class A Morristown Sectional semifinal, where they will play the host Yellow Jackets. The winner of that match will play for the championship that evening.
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“We came into this a little discouraged, so this tasted sweet,” GCA coach Kelsey Souders said. “We beat CCA before (a four-game victory Sept. 8), but you never know what they’re going to look like (a second time).”
The Cougars fell behind early in Thursday’s first and third games, but came back solidly in both. They trailed 8-3 in Game 1 but scored the next six points and never trailed after that. They fell behind 4-1 and 6-2 in the third game, but came back methodically in that one. GCA put the match away by scoring 10 of the match’s final 11 points, taking a 15-13 lead to a 25-14 rout.
GCA dominated Game 2 from the outset, building a 12-2 lead and never letting Central Christian get closer than an eight-point margin after that.
“I think we needed this as a team to reassure us,” said sophomore outside hitter Isabella Reed, who teamed up with fellow outside hitter Jessica Miller to give the Chargers’ front row fits all match. “We didn’t feel a lot of stress; we just decided this was a fun game, so let’s go out and have fun, and that was our approach.”
Reed and Souders credited libero Avery Shingleton and setter Rylie Scott with establishing GCA’s offense, and making the front-row players’ jobs easier.
“The outside hitters are the biggest talent on my team,” Souders said. “They’re the oldest, the most mature, and they carry the team and are leaders for sure. Rylie Scott and Avery Shingleton were crucial, key players of the game. They really held their own, and I was really proud of them.”
During GCA’s regular season-ending losing streak, the Class A Cougars played Class 4A teams Decatur Central and Whiteland, along with Class A No. 4 Trinity Lutheran. Reed and Souders believed the tough schedule prepared them well for the tournament.
“I’d much rather have a losing streak going into sectionals against hard competition, and then come in here and win, so I love the hard competition because it makes us better,” Reed said.
The Cougars faced Morristown a week ago, dropping a four-game decision.
“We played them at home on our senior night, and they played a tough game, so we’re going to have to stay up and excited like we were tonight to beat them,” Souders said.
