Lady Dawgs make playoffs under new leadership

By SEAN HANEY

Cove Leader-Press

Last Friday, the Lady Dawgs Volleyball team finished their regular season play with a win over Bryan. 

This brings their season record to 27-15 and 7-5 in district play. They will play a warmup match today at home vs. Shoemaker at 5:30.

Their playoff opponent will be Mansfield, but the details are still being worked out.

“It feels awesome,” Coach Christy Thompson said after advancing to playoffs for the first time since taking over as Head coach. “Playoffs is always the expectation in this program. I am so proud of the girls and the hard work that they have put in this season.”

When asked about how they will handle the games. Thompson said, “We will take it one game at a time. Play hard, together as a team and leave it all on the floor.”

Sophomore Chloe Tuiasosopo reached playoffs for the first time with the Lady Dawgs and was overwhelmed with emotions.

“It feels like one of the greatest accomplishments we’ve made this season as a team next to our first-place win in one of our tournaments during the pre-season” Tuiasosopo said.

Having set expectations at the beginning of the year, Tuiasosopo has set very specific goals going into playoffs.

“Being State champs is at the top of my list of ending this season and ending with no regrets or second thoughts on if we could’ve done better.”

While only being a sophomore, Tuiasosopo knows that not everything will be perfect.

“There is always going to be room for improvement but dwelling on that can taint the feeling of accomplishment and how far we’ve come as a team,” she said.

No matter how far they make it in playoffs the Lady Dawgs are going to be playing with for each other and aren’t going to have any regrets.

“Don’t regret anything after a win or a loss, just be ready for the next game and stay ready. As an athlete you have to have a short memory on making mistakes. Leave it all out on the court after every match and play for your teammates as if it’s your last game of your season,” said Tuiasosopo.

For Senior Jakhi Smith, the feeling is more surreal.

“It feels great. It’s a great way to start off the end of my last senior season going to playoffs,” Smith said.

With this being her last year, Smith wants specific goals for playoffs just like her teammate. “I would like to go far into playoffs this year and to make it all the way to the end,” Smith added. For Smith’s senior season, it has been going according to plan.

“My senior season has been a great ride. I have had a lot of fun this seasons and I am glad to end this season like this,” Smith said.