That hasn’t been the case for Cumberland’s volleyball team.
After a run in the postseason that led to a third-place finish in Class 1A a year ago, the Pirates lost its top hitter, setter, defender and their second-best blocker, along with five-year coach Drew Robertson.
Insert coach Monica McNeil, who coached the Pirates before Robertson, and the team hasn’t stumbled at all. In fact, the group enters tonight’s sectional with fewer losses (2) than last year’s team (4).
“It has been fun,” said McNeil, who coached all of her players at the junior high level during the last several years. “I am familiar with this group and it’s a good group. They’ve worked really hard to be where we’re at.”
McNeil was talked into taking the job back by her husband and her assistant. The logic was simple considering she helped these same girls to state during the junior high years. Other than age, nothing has changed with McNeil and the girls.
“She has always made us work hard and pushes us to be our best,” senior setter Brittany Whitaker said. “She really wants us back at state.”
Before the team can enjoy a return trip to state, it has to overcome two familiar opponents this week.
South Central and Edwards County were the only teams to beat Cumberland this season and both are in its sectional. First up is South Central who beat the Pirates without starting hitter Macy Shupe, one of the team’s best players.
“With her back, I think we have a really good chance,” Whitaker said. “We have improved tremendously.”
McNeil remembers the match against South Central all too well. Everything went wrong for her team and not having Shupe in the lineup didn’t help an off night for the Pirates.
“It will be a good fight,” McNeil said about the match against South Central. “South Central is a tough team and we know what kind of match we’re walking in to.”
If Cumberland gets by South Central, it’s likely that Edwards County will be waiting. During their run to state last year, the Pirates outlasted Edwards County in three sets in the sectional.
“It would be so big because we lost a lot of talent,” Whitaker said about getting back to state. “We had to become a new team and it’s been about putting it all together.”
After fighting illnesses, injuries and other distractions, McNeil is confident that her team can put it all together for this week’s competition.
“Honestly, if the girls are at 100 percent both nights, we have a chance to get out of this week,” McNeil said.
Cumberland’s match against South Central is at 7 tonight at Red Hill High School. If the Pirates win, they will play the winner of Edwards County and Eldorado at 7 p.m. Thursday.
lbridges@herald-review.com|421-6970
Published in the Herald & Review in November 2009.
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