Lady Lions continue growth through tough matchups
The Albany Lady Lions varsity team faced two home challenges this past week, falling to Newcastle on Saturday and Strawn on Tuesday but showing key signs of progress as they gear up for district.
Against Newcastle on Sept. 13, Albany dropped the match in four sets (21-25, 26-24, 16-25, 17-25). Head coach MJ Reneau said the team’s offensive execution stood out despite the loss.
“Our serve receive was a little off, but we turned nearly every ball into an attack,” she said. “That kind of growth is huge for us going into district.”
The Lady Lions returned to the court Sept. 16 to take on Strawn. With junior middle blocker Zayne Lefevre sidelined due to a tweaked back, Madi Parrott stepped into the starting lineup and impressed.
“Madi did a great job stepping in for Zayne,” Reneau said. “It was more of a rest situation—Zayne will be back for our next game—but I’m proud of how Madi handled the role.”
Albany dropped the match in three sets (20-25, 10-25, 18-25), with each set marked by slow starts that forced the team to play from behind.
“In the first set, we were down 5-18 but fought our way back to 20,” Reneau said. “That kind of effort shows me a lot about our girls—they didn’t quit.”
While Albany holds a 9-9 record, Reneau believes the difficult schedule will pay off soon.
“Our record doesn’t reflect how good this team is,” she said. “We’ve faced tough competition, and I think all of that experience is going to help us when district play begins.”
The Lady Lions will host Veribest for one final non-district match before opening district next week.
Junior Varsity
The JV Lady Lions showed their growth in recent matches against Newcastle and Strawn. Albany dropped Saturday’s home match to Newcastle in three sets but bounced back Tuesday night with a two-set win over Strawn, 25-19, 25-8.
Reneau praised the team’s hustle and adaptability, especially as the lineup has shifted throughout the season.
“They’ve had to shift lineups a few times, but this group is full of go-getters,” she said. “Whatever we ask them to do, they give 100 percent.”
Despite being a young squad, the JV team has steadily improved in all areas.
“They’ve just gotten better in every aspect, every skill,” Reneau added. “I’m excited to see how they compete in district.”
