Lady Lions fall to Coleman in tough Bi-District matchup
The Albany Lady Lions’ season came to a close Thursday night in Clyde, where they fell to Coleman in the bi-district round, 19-25, 27-29, 19-25.
Albany entered the match shorthanded after Ashlyn Miller rolled her ankle in practice Tuesday. Her replacement was then injured early in the opening set, forcing the Lady Lions into a lineup shift from the start.
“It was not our best game, but the girls gave a great effort,” head coach MJ Reneau said. “Not having Ashlyn out there definitely hurt us, and then losing another hitter made it that much harder.”
Despite the challenges, Albany pushed Coleman in all three sets. Reneau said winning the second set might have turned the match in a different direction.
“Had we won that second set, I think it could have been a totally different game,” she said. “It’s hard mentally to bounce back after such an intense 27-29 set, especially for the younger girls, but they showed a lot of fight.”
The Lady Lions relied heavily on their two seniors, Madi Parrott and Mimi Ivy, who played steady throughout long rallies.
“They were the calm in all the chaos,” Reneau said. “Madi and Mimi led us in every way. They were intense and competitive but also brought a calming presence to keep everyone together.”
Reneau praised the team for the season they put together and the way they played for each other.
“This is one of the most coachable groups I’ve ever had,” she said. “These girls are fun to be around. They work hard and were always ready to try something new. The year flew by because they made it fun.”
Though the loss ended things sooner than hoped, she said the foundation remains strong for the future.
“We looked out there at one point and had three freshmen and a sophomore on the court, and they were holding their own,” Reneau said. “The years to come should be good.”
Albany finishes the year 15-13 overall.
