A day of learning

Model takes a lesson from two defeats on Thursday.

Model’s volleyball team takes a lesson from two defeats on Thursday.

Every point, every set and every match played, a volleyball team can learn from its mistakes. And while the Model volleyball team did not produce anything in the win column Thursday, the lessons they took can help the rest of the season.

In a tri-match meet, Model lost to LakeviewFort Oglethorpe 22-25, 18-25 and then lost to Cass 25-20, 19-25, 12-15 with both games in Shannon. While the Lady Devils (1-8) have now lost eight in a row, coach Kendall Roberts saw a major improvement from the first to second match.

“We are going to come into practice tomorrow, and we are going to watch that game film and see what we did right and wrong,” Roberts said. “What’s important is that we showed plenty of positive stuff for the rest of the season.”

The first match was full of the mistakes that have troubled Model all season long. Whether it was missing serves, letting balls go when they were in or not calling for a ball and causing destruction, the Lady Devils handed many points to LFO.

The first set was close, with the Lady Warriors (1-5) winning three straight points with the set tied at 22. But the mistakes were most evident in the next set, and the visiting team broke away early and didn’t look back.

“Communication is essential for us,” Roberts said. “Sometimes we just forget to communicate with each other. When that happens, you tend to lose track of the ball and you give up easy points.”

Model fans saw a different squad in the match against Cass, with players like Emma Dickinson and Emily Shattuck keeping rallies alive and closing out points.

The team had found some communication and took the first set. The Lady Colonels (3-3) took the next two sets with small breakaways late, but Roberts told her players to keep their heads high.

This was the type of performance the team needed to reflect on once area play rolls around.

“We just need to continue to improve, take it one match at a time,” Roberts said. “What is going to matter is when area matches roll around.”

In a battle of the teams that beat Model, Cass emerged with another three-set victory against LFO, winning 25-17, 21-25, 25-19. The wins helped get the Lady Colonels to .500 on the season for the first time.

Model plays again Tuesday when it travels to Woodland in Cartersville to play the host Wildcats and Marietta.

Tommy Romanach / Rome News-Tribune Model’s Emma Dickinson (left) and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe’s Macey Gregg watch the ball go over the net after Gregg hit it during a volleyball match Thursday at Model High School.

Tommy Romanach / RN-T Model’s Brooke Roberts connects on a return during a volleyball match against Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe on Thursday at Model High.

Tommy Romanach / Rome News-Tribune Model’s Brooke Roberts (left) and Emma Dickinson react after Dickinson connects for a return during a volleyball match against Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe on Thursday at Model High School.