Atlanta rallied to overtake the visitors 19-18 in the third to clench the first of two pro volleyball games on the weekend.
Salt Lake City, Austin, Omaha, and Atlanta squared off over the weekend in the gorgeous Gateway Center in College Park across the highway from Hartsfield Jackson Airport. Atlanta and Salt Lake played two games and the other teams played one each.
Head coach Paolo Coco thought his Atlanta squad played okay in the first match. “We served well and played good defense as well as in transition,” said Coco.
Outside hitter McKenzie Adams led both squads with 13 kills on 17 attacks and tied Kelsey Cook with 13 digs.
Atlanta’s sets in the middle worked well in the first two games. Tessa Grubbs and Magdalena Jehlarova added 10 and 9 kills to back up the Adams’ baker’s dozen. “We started off running a little back row and to the pins that freed up space in the middle,” said Atlanta setter Rachel Fairbanks.
“They ran their tight quick on their middle really well and maybe if we could have made a little bit of an adjustment defensively I think that would have helped us,” said Mary Lake, Salt Lake City
Salt Lake led for the first 18 points of the final set (18-15) before Atlanta went on a rally scoring six straight unanswered points. Tama Miyashiro credited Atlanta’s defense and transition for turning the tables. “We talked about trying to stay on the attack,” said the head coach “In volleyball with all of this momentum talk you know it’s important to –we say stay on the gas. We tried to do that but they were able to transition and kind of run it right back at us” “Atlanta was just able to come up with some defensive plays and turn it back”
The home team allowed the visitors to get within one before finishing them off with a 4-0 run. A block from Grubbs sealed the deal.
With a second game against Omaha 24 hours away, it helped that the Atlanta squad ended the match early. “It’s a good challenge for us and the team is in good shape to play tomorrow,” said Coco.
Adams was awarded player of the game for her efforts (15 pts, 13 kills, 1 block, 13 digs).
MATCH PHOTOS
All photos Jason McDonald, JM Photography for CORE360 Sports