Lady Bulldogs volleyball team opens shortened season with dominating victories over rivals Andrews and Nantahala
Murphy – After breaking the huddle following the Lady Bulldogs’ 3-0 victory over Nantahala on Friday, Murphy head coach Nikol Edwards watched as her masked players raced to be the first group of six allowed into the locker room, shaking her head smiling.
“It’s been pretty awesome. It’s a great feeling, even though its still weird,” Edwards, speaking through a Lady Bulldog face mask, said of finally being able to play games after months of uncertainty.
“I think it’s just because we’re usually done by this time of the year, so just now starting is different, but we’re excited, we’re ready. And I just hope that we continue to get to play.”
Adding to the weirdness of starting months later than normal, the addition of COVID-19-related regulations have made this volleyball season even less familiar than usual.
“I don’t think we’ll ever get used to it, I mean, that’s just my opinion,” Edwards said of the various COVID-19-related regulations that the N.C. High School Athletic Association enacted this year, including a mandate requiring volleyball players to wear masks at all times, even during play.
“I guess people are kind of getting used to wearing masks since we’ve been doing it since March, but it’s totally different when you step out on a volleyball court and you start actually playing. I have to wear mine during practice and just moving around doing the things that I have to do in practice, it’s hard. So I can’t imagine how hard it is for the girls.”
Even with the oddities caused by the ongoing pandemic, the Lady Bulldogs have opened the season with no signs of rust, downing the Andrews Lady Wildcats on Tuesday in three sets and ending the week with a 3-0 victory over Nantahala at home Friday.
And while Murphy returns a solid core from last season, including seniors Grace Nelson and Sarah Pullium, the newer faces on the team have played a huge part in the Lady Bulldogs’ 2-0 start.
Junior Amber Martin, who played a key role off of the bench for Murphy’s state championship-winning basketball team last season, has stepped into the role of the Lady Bulldogs’ setter this year and has performed well through the team’s first two victories of the season.
“And that’s what it’s going to take,” Edwards said of Martin’s key role as the Lady Bulldogs’ setter this season. “I think Amber has a really good head on her shoulders, so when it comes to me saying, ‘This is what you have to do,’ then she’s going to do everything she can to do it. Whether it’s during practice or before games, she’s always on the side working because she knows how important her position is. She realizes that she really has to step up, and she has so far.”
Ahead of an early test Monday against Hayesville, who has played the Lady Bulldogs well in the past, Edwards said she expects her team to continue to focus on starting the season strong and setting the standard for what is shaping up to be another run at Smoky Mountain Conference Championship for Murphy in the COVID-19-shortened volleyball season.
“Well, it’s kind of like what I told them out there before the game,” Edwards said of setting the tone and standard of the season early with not as many games on the schedule this year. “This is our first home game, I don’t care who is on the other side of the floor, you’ve got to set your standard now for how you’re going to play and what is going to look like.
“Because there aren’t many fans here and it’s going to be quiet, it’s going to be different. So we just need to learn to adapt to that and play the way we’re capable of playing.”