A tough loss at Hendersonville Middle brought Polk County Middle’s volleyball squad to a “crossroads,” according to head coach Matthew Russell.
On Wednesday, the Wolverines surged forward on the correct path – as you would expect from a group currently demonstrating its academic as well as athletic prowess.
Facing a tough Flat Rock squad, Polk Middle won a tight first set, then dominated in the second for a 25-20, 25-12 win over the Eagles in Blue Ridge Middle School Conference action at Polk.
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The Wolverines (4-2) won the first set on Monday at Hendersonville, then dropped the next two sets to lose for just the second time this season. But following a tough practice on Tuesday in which Russell “asked them why did we lose, and they named everything we did wrong,” Polk Middle rebounded with a solid performance against Flat Rock.
“I’m very proud of the way we hung together today and got it done,” Russell said. “They showed they want to be tough and they want to fight.”
Polk jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the opening set before Flat Rock rallied to tie the match at 14-14. The teams swapped the lead until the Wolverines pulled ahead 21-18. Flat Rock scored a pair of points, but behind two aces by Ansley Lynch, the Wolverines served out the set for the 25-20 win.
Polk Middle then built a 5-3 lead in the second set before its serving became the deciding factor. Sydney Metcalf served four aces and Lynch had three kills during an nine-point run that gave the Wolverines a 14-4 lead. Flat Rock still trailed by 10, 20-10, when Morgan Stott served an ace to begin a 5-2 run to close the match, the winning point coming on a Mireya Roman ace.
“We were up 5-3 at one point, and Flat Rock had gotten all three points off our serve,” Russell said. “We really had some key people start putting the ball over the net and putting the ball in play.
“The girls worked hard yesterday and came out today and really came together against a good team in Flat Rock.”
As proud as was of Wednesday’s win, Russell was equally enthused about his team’s classroom performance after seeing the team’s progress reports.
“I love to see them win games, but I’m so proud of their progress reports,” Russell said. “There were so many A’s. Every girl on the roster will be on the honor roll. I’m so proud of what they’re doing in the classroom.”
Polk Middle begins a three-match road trip on Monday, traveling to Waynesville Middle to face the Mountaineers in a 4:30 p.m. match.
