Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Chambers Academy’s match against Hooper Academy on Thursday started about as well as anyone on the Rebels side could have hoped. However, the other three sets told a different story. 

Chambers Academy fought hard in the first set of the match and won it 26-24, but the Rebels went on to lose the next three sets 25-17, 25-11 and 25-16. 

The first set was as lively as you will see at any volleyball game in Alabama. Head Coach Jessica Patterson was impressed with the early effort. 

“I thought that was great volleyball,” Patterson said. “The first game was fantastic. We pulled that out.” 

The tide turned completely in the second set. Patterson noticed a shift in her team’s energy and overall play. 

“The second game is our same struggle,” Patterson said. “Mentally, I don’t know what happens out there. The second game was not my favorite. We beat ourselves in the second game.” 

Overall, even with the loss, Patterson came away from the match with mixed feelings about her team’s performance. 

“I thought there were times where it was great volleyball,” Patterson said. “Then, there were times where we could not pass to save our lives.”

The match turned out to be a pivotal region win for Hooper. The two teams face off again on Sept. 21. At the very least, Patterson feels like the team and the coaching staff know what to prepare for the next time the two teams compete. 

Patterson received a yellow card during the third set. Several calls had been overturned in favor of Hooper at that point, and Patterson felt the need to fight for her team. 

“I’m just a passionate coach,” Patterson said. “When I feel like my girls are not getting the call that they deserve, I’m going to fight for it. That was maybe the third time that they had overturned a call that they had already made, and I wasn’t happy.”

The main standout in the match for Chambers Academy was Lizzie McManus. 

The senior finished the match with seven blocks, three kills and one ace. 

“She struggled at the beginning of the year with following the ball,” Patterson said. “I think she’s doing a better job of following the ball, moving off  of her setter and getting the block and then the next hit up.” 

The loss dropped the Rebels to 2-5 on the season. Up next for them is a match against Macon East on Sept. 19.