Posted on August 24, 2017.
By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Millington’s Addison Coulter slams down a spike against Brighton during last week’s game.
Millington’s Hannah Clifton tries to tip the ball over a pair of Lady Cardinals during last week’s contest in the William Osteen Gymnasium.
Brighton’s TeAnna Johnson volleys the ball back over the net against Millington.
It was time for the Whitney Horton Era to begin for Millington Lady Trojan Volleyball. Last Monday night in the William Osteen Gymnasium, the coach known for softball on the campus debuted as the leader of the volleyball program against area rival the Brighton Lady Cardinals. The Lady Trojans used teamwork to outlast the Lady Cardinals for the season-opening victory 25-19, 25-19 and 25-23. “It feels really good to come out here against a 3A Brighton Cardinal team,” Horton said. “To come out here for the morale with my kids and to start the season off with a win, they played great under pressure. They played well as a team. They communicated. We got through with a big W tonight.” Part of that communication and team work for Millington was the return of Paige Hall to the rotation. After a standout sophomore campaign, Hall only played half of her junior season. Entering her senior year, Hall was ready to set, dive to the floor, spike and inspire her club. “I missed it so much,” she acknowledged. “I missed it very, very much. I just need to hustle on and off the court. I need to be a leader off the court as well especially in school.” After a day of classes, Hall and the Lady Trojans hit the court jumping out 7-2 in the first set. Hall started the contest with an ace. Brighton grabbed a 2-1 advantage after a score from TeAnna Johnson. Then Millington proceeded with a 6-0 run sparked by three straight spikes from senior Addison Coulter. Later in the opening set Coulter scored again on a kill to make the tally 11-5. The Lady Trojans matched Brighton score for score down the stretch to prevail 25-19. The second set stayed close behind the play of Lady Cardinals like Johnson, Mary Grace Smith and Mackenzie Winnans. The score was deadlocked at 13-13 at the midway point. The Lady Trojans used a Coulter spike to break the tie and outscore Brighton 12-6 the rest of the set. Millington’s second set victory of 25-19 put the Lady Trojans on the brink of an overall win. The Lady Cardinals of Head Coach Kim Perkins fought hard in the third set jumping ahead 16-12 when Winnans scored on a hit. Millington chipped away to eventually tie the set at 18-18. Coulter gave the Lady Trojans the advantage with an ace. Brighton rallied regaining the lead when Winnans scored with an ace to make the score 20-19. Even at 20-20, it was the hustle of Lady Trojans Lily Morton and Hall that set up scores for teammates like Coulter and Dymond Green. Morton scored a point of her own to make the tally 23-20. The Lady Cardinals had one more surge behind a pair of spikes from Johnson to make the score 24-23 in favor of Millington. But the Lady Trojans were able to score the final point to secure the victory. “We played very well together and defended as a team,” Hall noted. “That’s what you really need to win ball games. “We came back after being down a couple of points,” she added. “Once again, we worked very well together. That’s all we needed.” Horton said she was glad her volleyball debut was victorious. The first game gave her a chance to improve her scouting report on her own team. “Just that they’re where they are supposed to be,” Horton said. “We have two different rotations that we go through. As long as everybody keeps doing their jobs, those are the two rotations I’m going to stick to. I felt like tonight everybody went out there and played Lady Trojan Volleyball. I couldn’t be happier for these kids and this program to get a win right off the bat.” Horton said she was proud of her entire team and a few performances stood out that should inspire the Lady Trojans throughout 2017. “Lily was a big part,” she said. “She hustles. Lily is an all around great player. I saw some things out of her tonight I’ve never seen at practice with her doing. Dymond is with us now. It’s great to see her back.
“And Addison she jumped,” Horton concluded. “She jumped every time she went up to hit the ball. I was so excited for her to get some kills tonight and for us to come out with a team win.”
