Sports
Lady Mustang volleyball team bumps, sets for 2008 campaign
By Griffin Pritchard
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For Stanhope Elmore to succeed during the 2008 season, the Lady Mustangs must return to the basics, according to their coach Linda Pruitt.
“I have a young team,” said Pruitt.
“I have five seniors. But they are first-or-second-year players, so we have the maturity, but not the on-court experience that we are going to need this year. We are a young team and we’ve just got to remember the basics of volleyball.”
The Lady Mustangs will begin this fall with a berth into the Smiths Station tournament Aug. 23 and then play host to Jefferson Davis Aug. 26.
After an Aug. 28 match up with Central-Hayneville, the Lady Mustangs return to Millbrook for back-to-back area tri-matches.
The first is scheduled to include Auburn and Wetumpka Sept. 2 beginning at 4:30 p.m., and the second is scheduled to include Benjamin Russell and Prattville Sept. 4 also starting at 4:30 p.m.
“We are going to have to do the simple things to win this year,” said Pruitt.
“We’ve got to call the ball on the floor. We’ve got to learn to be aggressive and to attack and not sit back and wait. We can’t just bump, bump, bump it and hope to get it over the net. We’ve got to attack and be more aggressive with the ball.”
That lack of aggressiveness, according to Pruitt, hurt her squad during the 2007 season.
“We don’t have any go-to-people on the floor,” said Pruitt.
“Everyone has to be able to bump, set and kill the ball regardless of where they are on the floor. Everyone is just going to have to go out there and work this year.”
The Lady Mustangs will compete in the Horseshoe Bend Tournament Sept. 6 and then travel face Catholic Montgomery and rival Wetumpka in Wetumpka Sept. 9 beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Following that tri-match, Stanhope will travel to Montgomery’s Sidney Lanier High to challenge the Lady Poets and the Lady Volunteers in a tri-match beginning at 4:30 p.m.
“We have a bad habit of wanting to get on the floor and be spectators. I noticed that last year and I’ve noticed it this year,” said Pruitt. “We can’t do that. We need to get back and be ready to launch an attack.”
Stanhope Elmore will travel to Auburn Sept. 11 and then, after a mandatory week off for exit exam testing, the Lady Mustangs will travel to Prattville Sept. 23, play host to Robert E. Lee and Sidney Lanier Sept. 24 and then travel to Alexander City to face the Lady Wildcats and the Montgomery Academy Sept. 25 beginning at 5 p.m.
“I haven’t really found a strength for us this year,” said Pruitt. “I guess if had to name one, it would be that we have so many young players. That’s going to help us a year or two from now if they stick with the program. We’re rebuilding and I see that as a strength for years to come.”
The Lady Mustangs will conclude the 2008 season with a home match against Smith Station Sept. 30, a road match against Jeff Davis Oct. 2, a berth in the Prattville tournament Oct. 4, a roadtrip to Montgomery to face Lee and Brewbaker Tech Oct. 7 and a final home match against Central-Hayneville Oct. 9.
The area tournament, which will feature Auburn, Benjamin Russell, Wetumpka and Stanhope Elmore, is scheduled to start Oct. 13 and will be hosted by the area champion during the regular season.
