Bordered by three-foot pieces of tape adjacent to the volleyball net is a square marking where the setter receives the pass on a serve.

The setter then shoots the ball in the air for the team’s big hitter to score it over the net.

Andalusia’s varsity and junior varsity volleyball squads were working on passing at Wednesday’s practice because it’s something that’s important in the game, Lady Bulldogs head coach Angie Grimes said.

“That’s where the ball is supposed to be,” Grimes said. “It’s for the setters. It all starts with that first pass.”

The Lady Bulldogs will test out how much better they’ve gotten on the pass today as they travel to play Straughn and Headland in a Class 4A, Area 3 tri-match at SHS.

This will be Andalusia’s first area match of the season, and the first contest since last Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Class 1A powerhouse Kinston.

The Lady Tigers are already 2-0 in the area, after defeating Headland and Ashford Aug. 30 in other area action.

Straughn’s coming off a non-area tri-match loss, falling 2-1 to Carroll-Ozark, and 2-0 to Geneva.

“It’s a big one (today),” SHS coach Marc Tracy said. “With Andalusia, it carries a little more weight than area seeding goes. It’s a big rival for us.”

Grimes said the girls have got a good “plan” in for today’s contests.

“We’ve got a good plan on offense,” Grimes said. “We’ve just got to get the ball to the setter.”

Tentatively, the schedule for today’s matches is that Straughn will play Headland first at 4 p.m., and then Andalusia will play Headland in the second match. Straughn and Andalusia will close out the tri-match in the final match of the day.

Additionally, Andalusia’s annual varsity volleyball tournament, scheduled for this Saturday, has been canceled due to ACT testing conflicts.