Lady Blues, Ladycats continue summer league volleyball action

The Graham Lady Blues and Newcastle Ladycats volleyball teams were the latest to enter their own version of summer league tournament for their high school athletes. They picked things up again after their opener one week prior. 

The unique nature about summer league volleyball is that it is played with a very different structure from other summer leagues, focusing less on win-loss records and more about straightforward player development and getting team members touches. 

The tournament, being hosted in Graham High School’s main and classic gyms, takes place each Monday throughout the month of June. 

In regular season and postseason volleyball, matches are played in three first to 25 sets. However, the summer league operates on a 25-minute time limit per match with scores kept regardless if they exceed 25 points. 

However, there is a 20-point mercy rule for games so they don’t get out of hand. 

The Lady Blues opened their schedule last Monday, June 2, with two different varsity teams, taking on the Breckenridge Lady Buckaroos, the Burkburnett Lady Bulldogs, the Garner Lady Longhorns and closed the night against the Ladycats. 

Newcastle took on the Lady Bulldogs and the Lady Blues. 

This week Monday, June 10, Graham and Newcastle reset for a fresh slate of games and opponents. 

For Lady Blues team two, their schedule opened at 5 p.m. as it was their second team taking on the Mineral Wells Lady Rams first team.

Things got off to a slow start for the Lady Blues. They trailed 18-11 after missing three serves to start the contest, but ultimately started to steady themselves. 

They started to really do some damage at the service from players like Ruby Shaffer and Braylee Wenniger. 

The team also benefited from solid defense through players like Kya Cooper. Ultimately though, they couldn’t fight back from the early deficit as Graham narrowly lost 36-34.

The Ladycats opened their schedule in the following slate of games against the Perrin-Whitt Lady Pirates. 

Similarly to Graham, the Ladycats started off slow trailing 5-1 in their opener but then immediately rattled off seven straight points to make it 8-5. 

From that point they would maintain the lead for much of the contest, however unforced errors on their part kept Perrin in the contest until they ultimately took over. 

The Ladycats ended up losing the match 33-31 and went on to play the Garner Lady Longhorns later in the night. 

Meanwhile, the Lady Blues put up a strong performance against Woodson ending in a tie, and picked up another win against Bryson. 

To close out their schedule for the night, they’d be seeking redemption for their loss to open the evening and deliver. 

The team got off to a fast start going up 3-0 but quickly surrendered that lead 4-3. 

It was a back and forth affair for both teams up until the final five minutes when Graham utilized attackers on the left side of their net for back to back kills to put a 25-20 cushion on their lead. 

Graham went on to win their final game 30-24 and made coach Marci Faulk, who was in attendance, proud. 

“I think their chemistry in that game was better,” Faulk said. “I think some are gaining confidence in some of their positions.” 

Leaders who stepped up for the Lady Blues first team throughout the night included players like Katy McGehee, who grabbed multiple aces at the service line, and Tara Dawson, who is coming back from an ACL injury for her final season which couldn’t make Faulk happier. 

The Lady Blues and Ladycats pick up their schedule back at Graham High School for a fresh slate of matches Monday, June 16, starting at 5 p.m.