The Opp Lady Bobcats picked up win No. 2 on the young volleyball season as they knocked off the Florala Lady Wildcats three sets to none.
“The girls played great,” Lady Bobcats’ head coach Bridgett Brantley said. “I’m very proud of them for this. This was a huge confidence builder for us.”

 

In the first set, Opp jumped out front 2-0, but the Lady Wildcats clawed back and tied the game up 4-4.

 

The Lady Bobcats then went on a 5-0 run punctuated by big hits from captain Bailee Boyd and Madi Henley.

 

During a volley with the Opp leading 15-7, Hannah Wismer made great dig to keep the play alive and Boyd capped the point off with a punishing attack.

 

Opp continued to roll in the first set, when Amber Hadley made the score 19-8 with a strong attack at the net.

 

The Wildcats never quit, though, and rallied with a 4-0 run to get the score to 21-12.

 

The Lady Bobcats finished the set strong with Millicent Nolin getting the final two points with an attack and an ace serve to win the first set 25-13.

 

Florala got the first points of the second set, but Opp followed that with a 6-0 rally.

 

The Lady Wildcats bounced back with a quick point, but good work at the net by the Lady Bobcats put them on top 7-2.

 

Opp strung together a 4-0 rally to follow, and Boyd capped the rally with a strong attack.

 

Maggie Short put the Lady Bobcats up 14-5 with a strong serve, and a few points later Courtney Osborn put her team up 16-6 with a big attack at the net.

 

Opp then went up 21-9 off back-to-back big hits from Nolin and Osborn.

 

Opp went on to win the second set 25-12.

 

Florala started strong in the third set, and held a 10-5 lead early.

 

A 7-0 rally by Opp, however, put the Lady Wildcats in a 12-10 deficit.

 

Osborn made the score 15-11 a few points later with a strong attack.

 

Boyd went up strong for a shot and then dinked behind the Lady Wildcats’ front line to give Opp a 17-14 lead.

 

After Opp went up 20-14 on a big attack from Short and an ace from Nolin, the Lady Wildcats went on a 3-0 rally.

 

Unfortunately, for the Lady Wildcats the Lady Bobcats closed out the set with a 5-0 rally for a 25-17 win.

 

“The girls played consistent, which is very big for us,” Brantley said. “We have still got to work on not making mental errors. This was our second win of the season, and these girls only won three games all of last year. We played in tournament this weekend in Kinston, and the only two games we lost were to the tournament champion and runner-up. We aren’t were we need to be yet, but we are getting there step by step.”

 

The Lady Bobcats will travel to the Dothan area Thursday for a match against Providence Christian.

 

“You like to play matches like the one coming up with Providence,” Brantley said. “They are one of the best teams in the state, and we can learn from them and see what we need to work on.”

 

The Lady Wildcats will be back in action Thursday when Samson travels to Florala for a middle school, junior varsity and varsity contest.

 

“We are still learning,” Lady Wildcats’ coach Amanda Varnum said. “I had to start an eighth grader out there. We have had two tough teams to start the season. The girls will come around, though. I was proud of the way the girls didn’t quit tonight, and they showed up in the third game. Now we just have to get them to show up for the first two games as well.”