Nobody would take many positives from the Columbus High School volleyball team’s match Tuesday against Saltillo.
It wasn’t just that the Tigers won each set by an increasingly larger margin in a 25-13, 25-10, 25-8 win over the host Falcons. The match was marked by mistakes and a lack of communication, each of which was exploited by Saltillo.
But don’t try telling Columbus coach Jessica Davis that the day was a disaster. For Davis, it’s all part of the process.
“This is my first year coaching, so we’re rebuilding a program,” Davis said. “We are improving every game. The JV had the best game they ever played, and varsity had a bad game but we plan on improving.”
Things didn’t start off all that badly for the Falcons, who trailed 6-5 early in the first set and were still within 9-6 before the Tigers took control. The visitors took eight of the next 10 points, forcing Davis to call a timeout.
That happened in each of the sets: Columbus called timeouts after Saltillo scored the first eight points of the second set and after a 13-2 Saltillo start to the third. While Columbus struggled to put together consecutive points, Saltillo had runs of nine, six and six again during the second set and runs of five and six points in the third.
But there were positive signs for the Falcons. They hustled throughout the match and never gave up on a point, something reflected in the fact that almost every wild rally went their way. And there were flashes of strong play at the net as well.
“That goes back to her,” Davis said, gesturing toward senior Makayla Rieves. “Makayla Rieves is my captain. She’s kind of like a third coach. She helps us with the rotations, everything. If I mess up, she’ll correct me.”
Rieves, who has played softball and basketball for the Falcons, has been playing volleyball since seventh grade. That experience is invaluable to both Davis and Rieves’ teammates as they look to use this season as a foundation for the future.
“We’re trying to build a program where we communicate,” Davis said. “We’re trying to play on a college level, communication, rotation, and they’re not used to it. It’s going to take them time.”
Communication certainly was an issue against the Tigers, with two Falcons going for the same ball on some occasions and no Falcons going for the ball on others. But the ability to stay with and eventually win the more wild points was there almost to the end, as the Falcons won the last of the match’s long rallies when they were trailing 17-5 in the third set.
“Noi one’s discouraged,” Rieves said. “This team doesn’t give up. We can’t give up.”
Despite an 0-3 start, everybody in the huddle after the match was focused and ready to correct their mistakes. And that’s all Davis wants to see.
Well, that and a continuation of the effort she saw against the Tigers.
“We’re not going to stop hustling and playing until we get a win,” Rieves said. “That’s what we want, a win.”
And Davis firmly believes that will be just the beginning..
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