Livingston volleyball saw its season end in the area round of the playoffs at Tarkington Thursday versus Lumberton in four sets, with scores of 25-20, 18-25, 25-9 and 25-19.
The Lady Raiders have been strong performers this season, winning District 18-4A and compiling a 38-6 record.
A hard-fought opener, Lumberton led throughout. Livingston tried to gain ground on a few occasions, only to be outscored by five.
The Lady Lions would have better luck in the second set, where they raced out to a 5-1 advantage. That quickly grew to 14-5, then 17-7 for an easy win. Ta’Laiyah Garner, Corinne Henderson, Audrey Rios and Madelyn Akers were standouts, but all Lady Lions showed hustle and determination.
That would be the last winning set of the season. Lumberton held a 16-point margin in the third set and led by as much as eight in the final.
“I've always told my girls that pressure busts pipes. I think we were overly prepared and we were so worried about what was on their side and not really what is on our side,” Livingston coach Alyssa Fielder said. “I think that was the most frustrating part.
“I still have a group of girls that are about to come in and kill it. I have girls that are returning. It is always sad after a loss in playoffs. We have to make sure that when we are prepared and we studied the game, we show it on the court.”
Fielder said there was a change in her team’s play between the second and third set.
“After you win a set, we started to get comfortable and lax,” she said. “Passing kind of started to slide, communication slacked, and everything that we could control went out the window.”
A group of seniors that are largely responsible for the Lady Lions’ volleyball success over the past two years have played their final game.
“Audrey Rios, I've known her since her freshman year and coached her in club,” Fielder said. “She is a very special athlete and very special leader. It was really great to have her one more year and one last time before she graduated.
“Bayleigh Sturm works her butt off and is another big attribute to our team. Kenzi Parrish is another girl I've had since her freshman year. I coached her at club, so it was amazing to come back and coach her again too. Z (Harrell) is another hardheaded one. It was kind of hard to get to her for a minute, but when she gets your trust, it is a lot easier. I feel like we've built that relationship until when she needs something, she knows she can call coach. Emily Blackmon is the hardest worker I have. She busts her butt, no matter what. From summer until now, she has turned into an amazing athlete.”
The coach said she will remember support from all sides when she looks back on her first season as district runners-up at Livingston.
“There was support on the sidelines, the support in the stands, and it really does mean a lot. I feel like as a first-year head coach, I've gotten a lot of support from everybody. It's kind of shocking, because I'm kind of new to this town, but also, everyone has been very loving and very supportive. I was very lucky to have the girls that I have.”
