Blues poke holes in Lady Porcupines to win opener

David vs. Goliath might be a stretch when describing the Blues’ season opener against Springtown, but Graham got a victory against a bigger team Tuesday night by relentlessly playing through every volley. The Blues lost the first set to the Lady Porcupines 25-20, but that set up an early teaching moment that could pay dividends as the season goes on. “The second game they came in and had us down,” Blues head coach Marci Faulk said. “We came back to take the lead around the 16th or 17th point and we ended up winning that set 25-23. It seemed like winning gave us the confidence to be a little more aggressive and play a little risky.” The Blues dominated the third game from the initial serve, accumulating a double-digit lead in the middle of the game before closing it out with a 25-17 final. Though Springtown roared back with a win in the fourth game, Faulk made sure Graham was ready for the final game of the match. “We talked about how we had played too hard to give up the match,” Faulk said. “I told them that we’re at our best when we play aggressive and take risks on swings. There was no doubt who would take the match in Game 5. I think the score was 7-3 when Delaney Sullivent got back to serve and she served out through the 14th point.” The final score of the fifth game was 15-5, with the Blues sprinting out to the lead and holding strong until the end. More than just bolstering their record and starting the season off with a win, Faulk believes her team learned to take chances and trust themselves against the Lady Porcupines. “I told them, ‘We became a better team last night.’ In preseason you want to win, but it’s all about getting better for district,” she said. For the rest of this story, pick up a copy of Saturday's Graham Leader, or subscribe to our online edition.