CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Northeast High School volleyball traveled to Clarksville Academy for both teams’ season opener on Tuesday. The Eagles swept the Cougars three sets to none to spoil Clarksville Academy’s home opener and start the Eagles’ season off 1-0.
The Eagles and Cougars went back and forth early in the first two sets, highlighted by some powerful blocks from Northeast senior Sanaii Pearson. The Eagles pulled away late in both sets to win 25-20 and 25-23, respectively.
“This team has a drive and motivation,” said Northeast Head Coach Joyce Williams. “They get mad when they make errors or don’t win a point, but they use that to fuel them more than anything. Every single point they lose, they want back, and they’re dedicated to it. It’s one of my favorite things about this team.”
The Cougars attempted a late rally in the third set despite a slow start, led by Layla Clark saving a few wayward passes to keep the rally alive, but ultimately fell short 25-19 in the third set, with the Eagles completing the sweep.
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Despite the loss, Cougars head coach Micheal Griggs was optimistic about his squad’s performance.
“In our perspective, it’s a good first game because we showed that if we execute better, we can compete in every game we play,” said Griggs. “This is a great indicator of what we can be. Even though we lost, I’m happy that we showed growth and showed the ability we have.”
As for the Eagles, they start the season off on the right foot, a huge win for a young team that graduated a large class of senior athletes last season.
“We’re a young team, and there’s some big shoes to fill,” said Williams. “Everything that we saw tonight, we’re going to continue to work on and improve at. We’re just going to keep pushing forward and doing what we’re doing.”
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