First Serve: Upstart volleyball programs finally hit court

As Alexis Plummer served for the last point of the match, things couldn’t have been going more smoothly. Plummer’s point closed out a win for Sumrall volleyball over visiting Salem. But that was in the junior varsity game.

Once the varsity team hit the court things didn’t go as well.

Presbyterian Christian School's Mary Grace Prine stands at the ready during a junior varsity win to open the school's volleyball program. (Photo by Josh Mlot)

The same could be said 20 miles south at Presbyterian Christian School. The PCS Lady Bobcats began writing their volleyball history last Thursday, a handful of days before Sumrall did the same. PCS also opened up with a junior varsity victory. And a varsity loss.

But it’s not about the wins and losses right now for either school, it’s about the process.

“It didn’t matter if we got a ‘W,’ ” PCS coach Celeste Vial said. “Let’s get everyone a chance to play and learn the game more.”

Presbyterian Christian had the match tied at 1-1 before dropping two hotly-contested sets to lose the match 3-1. Sumrall started out slowly, allowing 23 straight points before answering. But it also responded by getting more competitive with each and every set.

And that growth is what both programs are looking for in Year 1.

“I think we forgot to have fun at the beginning,” Sumrall coach Jamie Powell said. “We were in a daze and didn’t look like we were having fun.

“The attitude in the locker room was we didn’t play very well. They know that they didn’t play to their ability. But we’re growing and they’re maturing fast and we’re going through some growing pains. It’s what they have to go through to find out what it’s going to take. But they’re good kids and they’ll bounce back. They’re not going to let one loss get them down.”

PCS proved the same, coming back to go 1-3 at the Set It Off Challenge over the weekend. Sure, it wasn’t a winning record, but it was a win. And the floor time paid off when the Lady Bobcats returned on Tuesday to defeat fellow first-year team Madison Ridgeland Academy, 3-1.

Sumrall's Keanna Keys (12) passes the ball as Monesha Thomas (17) looks on. The Lady Bobcats fell to Salem in their opener. (Photo by Josh Mlot)

“The difference is just that experience,” Vial said. “I think we are just right behind these teams (we lost to). The girls are learning the game properly and I just think it’s a matter of playing games and getting the experience. The teams we lost to are very experienced and have had a program for a long time.”

Response to the fledgling programs has been strong. Sumrall has seen solid interest from the community, and Presbyterian Christian’s Rees Gymnasium didn’t sound like a place that had never seen the sport before. The student section chanted and cheered for the entire match, sounding more like a well-rehearsed and knowledgeable fan base than volleyball virgins.

“It meant the world,” Vial said. “It really did. To have the students there before school started just meant a lot to us. They took a long night out of their summer to be with us and stayed through the long night. For them to be rooting and be positive and excited for us was just wonderful. I’m hoping that they continue to enjoy the sport and continue to support us. I certainly wasn’t expecting that big of a crowd.”

Game 1 showed the Lady Bobcats of PCS that they need to focus on positioning and serving, while Sumrall revealed its inexperience through a lack of communication. Both are things that should improve over time, as the two sides displayed the athleticism and occasional flash of skill that will be needed be highly competitive.

The most important thing is figuring out how to utilize that talent and learning the game well enough that it becomes natural.

“Overall, I thought our kids got better the more we played and settled in,” Powell said. “But volleyball’s a game of communication and execution … and we didn’t do that too well.

“I think we’re going to win a lot more matches this year than folks think we will.  As the season settles in and we begin to jell, I think you’re really going to see us play some good volleyball.”

After a long summer of preparation, that optimism still thrives for both programs, even though there were bumps in Week 1 for each side.

It would be foolish for anyone to expect a team starting from scratch to look like a polished product out of the gates. These opening results are probably much closer to reality for Sumrall and Presbyterian Christian as they work their way forward, hoping to grow a little with each game along the way.

And if Year 1 is about the process, it’s been a joy so far.

“It means the world,” Powell said. “It’s a huge stepping stone and it’s new for everybody. I thought we had a nice crowd that came out to support us. But it means a lot to get it out there and under our belt.”

For Vial, the realization of competitive matches created a wash of emotion. After fighting to see the creation of her program, at the moment the girls stepped out onto the court the result was already irrelevant.

“It’s about the girls and the fact that it’s finally here, to me, that night just proved that there is a need for this (volleyball). This is a sport that a variety of personalities and abilities can participate in. To have it, I’m almost at a loss for words.

“It’s just unbelievable. It was an incredible feeling. I grew up loving this sport and to have it for my girls and my friend’s girls and our community, it was just an amazing feeling.”

This is just the start.