Clarke Central High School varsity volleyball setter Jazlyn Lumpkin, a sophomore, hits the ball in the team’s home game against Prince Avenue Christian School on Aug. 27. Though the Gladiators lost the game 3-1, CCHS varsity volleyball co-captain and middle blocker Makaney Burnette, a senior, felt the team can take away positives. “I think we worked together unbelievably well today,” Burnette said. “It just showed that we all have our own superpowers, and it’s an incredible feeling.” Photo by Grady Dunston
The CCHS varsity volleyball team lost 3-1 to Prince Avenue Christian School in their first home game of the 2024-25 season on Aug. 27.
The Clarke Central High School varsity volleyball team lost 3-1 in their game against Prince Avenue Christian School in the CCHS Competition Gym on Aug. 27, making their season record 1-5.
PACS took an early lead as the Gladiators lost points due to miscommunication with serve receive. With up to an eight-serve streak, the Wolverines established a strong offense and the set ended in a 25-10 loss for CCHS.
“We were slow to start. The first set, we barely got into (the) double digits, so (it was) just very slow to get going,” CCHS head varsity volleyball coach Stacey Scott said. “The second set, they picked it up. There was some trigger that just started to give them a little bit more energy.”
In the second set, CCHS became more aggressive on both defense and offense, putting a roof over many of the Wolverines’ attacks with multiple blocks coordinated by CCHS varsity volleyball co-captain and middle blocker Makaney Burnette and CCHS varsity volleyball middle blocker Tyasia Brown, seniors. Still, the Gladiators trailed PACS throughout the set, which ended in a 25-19 loss.
In the third and set, the Wolverines pulled ahead early with a four-point lead, but CCHS came back to win the set 25-22.
“When they work together, they’re unstoppable. And we all saw that in the third set when they were able to win,” Scott said.
Despite a few strong rallies and successful blocks by the Gladiators’ offense in the fourth set, the game ended when Prince Avenue won the fourth set 25-14.
“The second set, (the players) picked it up. There was some trigger that just started to give them a little bit more energy.”
— Stacey Scott,
CCHS head varsity volleyball coach
“I think it’s a lot of a mental game for us because when we get down, we get stuck. Then we begin to lose, and it’s hard for (us) to really get out of that,” Burnette said.
As the Gladiators continue their season, Scott looks to improve their record by focusing on their serve-receive percentage and mentality in practices.
“Focus is one of the biggest (emphases), and then building up confidence and reminding (players) that mistakes are just simply that, a mistake, but (also) an opportunity to learn something, and just because you make a mistake doesn’t mean you have to lose,” Scott said.
