Lady Gladiators past and present give their all during Alumni Volleyball Game
Coach Tina Richards brings her Italy Lady Gladiator Volleyball players in for some pre-game strategy to use against the Lady Gladiator Alumni team. (Barry Byers)
Italy — Saturday inside Italy Coliseum featured a matchup between the past vs. the present, or rather, a Lady Gladiator alumni volleyball squad vs the current Lady Gladiators for some good old-fashion fun!
The alumni players, coached by Andi Windham, scored first to take a 1-0 lead in the first set after Shay Fleming served up an non returnable ball. The current players, coached by Tina Richards, quickly responded, however, and eventually built a 15-10 advantage. Along the way, alumni Cassi Windham impressed her coach, who is also her mother, when she perfectly timed a spike attempt. Although the alumni side was unable to secure the point, Cassi still got a hug from Coach Windham.
Moments later, unfortunately, Cassi bumped the ball into her own face to indicate just how funny the Alumni Game was sure to be. I mean, What is more embarrassing? When the other team laughs at you or when your own teammates laugh at you? Matters continued progressing down hill for the over-the-hillers as Italy’s varsity team rolled to a 25-12 first set win.
In the second set, the contest intensified and was knotted in an early tie 7-7. The current players went up 8-7 and then Kortnei Johnson won a joust against Drew Windham to give the varsity team a 9-7 edge. Megann Lewis Harlow retaliated a couple of volleys later and smashed a shot thru a block attempt by Johnson to pull the alumni within one, 10-9.
Despite their jumps getting increasingly lower off the ground, the alumni players kept it close trailing only 20-16. Current Lady Gladiator Jaclynn Lewis, little sister to Megann, served the last four winners to help the Varsity be victorious in the second set, 25-17.
In the third set, the alumni players managed to extend volleys and were equally as impressive avoiding colliding into one another. Coach Windham relied heavily on her secret weapon, Brendetta Oliver Reed, to keep the alumni side of the net competitive. However, two straight point earning serves by Johnson made the score 11-7 in favor of the Varsity and forced Coach Windham to call a timeout. At least she didn’t have to call a medic!
With Brendetta leading the cheers from the bench, “I Believe, you believe, we all believe in you! I Believe, you believe., we all believe in you,” a beautiful drop shot by Drew made the score 12-8. Megann began to assert her will around the net while alumni teammates’ Brianna Burkhalter, Jessica Simon Ward, current Lady Gladiator head coach Jessika Robinson, Shay and Drew tried help keep the volleys going.
Lady Gladiators Monserrat Figueroa, Paige Westbrook, Paola Mata, Morgan Cockerham, Alyssa Richards, Bailey Eubank, Washington, J. Lewis and Johnson were just simply way younger than the alumni squad and used their youthful spirit to finish off the third set with another 25-17 win.
A bonus fourth set went in favor of the current Lady Gladiators as well but not after one last valiant effort turned in by the Alumni team. But in a game where the final tally is not near as important as the camaraderie, it was a fun and unforgettable matchup that has a chance to grow into one of the sports most fierce rivalries.