By KEVIN HARRIS
Southern Indiana Preps
NEW ALBANY – New Albany improved its record to 4-0 with a 25-6, 25-11, 25-13 home win over Lanesville on Saturday, Aug. 29 at The Doghouse.
Senior outside hitter Tess Owsley led the Bulldog offense with 10 kills, followed by teammate Alexis Caldwell with nine. New Albany sophomore setter Cheyenne Palmer distributed 30 assists.
New Albany was strong from a serving standpoint, delivering 20 aces. Senior Bree Martin recorded a team-high seven aces, while Ashlyn Clifton chipped in five. Caldwell served four aces. Martin paced the New Albany defense with 11 digs.
“We’re trying to speed up our offense and increase tempo,” Bulldog head coach Ryan Woosley said. “We scrimmaged Providence a couple of weeks ago, and their speed was something we haven’t seen before. So, we’re trying to lower our offense and trying to match that and get used to it. We’re still building our connections because we have a first-year setter. But I think we have a lot of offensive firepower. It’s just can we consistently be clicking where there are in rhythm and in system together.”
The match replaced New Albany’s annual River City Invitational, which was cancelled because of health concerns. The other two teams slated to play in the tournament were Austin and North Harrison.
Woosley says it has been a huge challenge preparing his team for upcoming matches during the coronavirus pandemic.
“If someone goes and gets tested, your whole team is waiting and anticipating it and it’s scary,” Woosley said. “We’re trying to do the best to protect our families. We’re trying to do our best to protect our players’ families and our school’s families. It’s a huge concern in the back of your head.
“I think getting these kids out here playing is best for them. I think everything we’re doing at New Albany like sanitizing the balls and social distancing is allowing us to do so.”
The Bulldogs will travel to rival Providence on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The freshman match will start at 5 p.m., followed by the junior-varsity match at 6 p.m. and the varsity at 7 p.m.
WOOSLEY INTERVIEW
The following is the link to the complete interview with New Albany head coach Ryan Woosley:
https://www.facebook.com/SoInPreps/posts/642324666414371
NEW ALBANY 3, LANESVILLE 0
Lanesville 6 11 13
New Albany 25 25 25
New Albany stats
Kills: Tess Owsley 10, Alexis Caldwell 9, Olivia Allee 5, Bella Doss 4, Giavanna Yowell 4, Ashlyn Clifton 2, Kamori Knight 2, Lauren Naville 2, Cheyenne Palmer 2, Kennedy Pease 1.
Assists: Palmer 30, Naville 2, Caldwell 1, Amelia Hicks 1, Bree Martin 1, Riley Sawyer 1.
Aces: Martin 7, Clifton 5, Caldwell 4, Palmer 3, Pease 1.
Blocks: Allee 1.
Digs: Martin 11, Caldwell 6, Palmer 5, Reese Stivers 4, Owsley 2, Naville 1, Pease 1, Sawyer 1, Yowell 1.
