Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lady Rattlers rejoice

Posted

GLEN ROSE - Tolar Head Volleyball Coach Misty Rhodes spent ost of the weekend scrambling to find a gym for the Tolar-Lindsay volleyball playoff game last night.

She finally found one: Venus, south of the Metroplex.

Coaches usually try to find a halfway point, but Venus is much closer to Tolar. Lindsay is just west of Gainesville near the Texas-Oklahoma border.

Rhodes was busy calling and texting coaches and schools Sunday while trying to watch her youngest son’s baseball game in Aledo.

She called over 30 schools before finding a gym available.

“It was a nightmare,” Rhodes said.

The reasons varied for a lack of gyms: some schools don’t want to host teams and fans because of COVID-19 concerns, larger schools are still playing district volleyball and basketball has started.

The Lady Rattlers (17-8) were expected to have their hands full against Lindsay, Class 2A’s fourthranked team. Tolar is ranked 49th.

The Tolar-Lindsay winner most likely will play Comanche later in the week. The Glen Rose and Hamilton gyms are reserved if Tolar plays Comanche.

TOLAR DOMINATES BI-DISTRICT

Senior Emma Carroll and junior Bailie Deaver powered the Lady Rattlers to a straight-set win over the Moody Lady Bearcats in the opening round of the playoffs Saturday afternoon.

The district champion Lady Rattlers struck from the opening whistle in dominating 25-5, 25-13, 25-15.

“They were excited ... they were pumped for this game,” Rhodes said about her team. “We actually had a big tipping game planned. I think the girls got super excited and ditched the tipping game. They wanted to hit the ball.

“I think our offense was a little faster than their defense could keep up with.”

Carroll blasted eight kills. Rhodes had a straight-on look into the face of a Moody defender during one of Carroll’s rockets.

“She looked at me in that moment, and it was terror,” Rhodes said.

Deaver led the team with nine kills. The coach said about the junior: “She had a great game. She doesn’t have the showy power hit that Emma does but she’s sneaky quick”

Other standouts were Justice Vanlandingham, 21 assists and seven digs; Jorden Walker, 12 digs; Lesley Butler, six digs and two kills; Haylee Burt, four kills and four digs; and Hanna Collie, six aces.

The team has been trying to step up its passing game.

“We really need to get the passes up to our setters so we can run the quick offense,” Rhodes said.

editor@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 245