Schools
Middleton High Volleyball Finds Positives in Struggle
The Lady Tigers failed to trouble Tampa Bay Tech on the volleyball court Thursday night, but they aren't hanging their heads at this point.
Tampa Bay Tech rolled over the Middleton High School volleyball team on Thursday night, winning the match in three straight games.
It didn't take long for the Titans to assert their dominance as they finished off Middleton 25-8 in the first game. The Lady Tigers were further demoralized in the second game as they trailed 20-1 at one point and were finished off with ease as Tech neared the finish line.
"We go up against these teams that have players on them who play on club teams and it makes it pretty hard for us," Middleton coach Robert Dodson said. "We don't have the experienced players these other teams have. Our girls play from August until the end of the season. It was tough for us out there but we showed heart."
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In the third game, the Lady Tigers began to find their rhythm and even took a 5-3 lead. But after allowing seven unanswered points the wheels came off, so to speak. Middleton put a valiant effort in when all was said in done but the game ended 25-14 handing Tech the sweep and the Tigers their seventh loss of the season.
"We stopped being so tense in the third game but that team just beat us," Dodson said. "They're a good team but even though we're struggling we never give up. The most wins that this school has ever had in a season is two, but we try to focus on the positives rather than the negatives so that we can instill a winning spirit."
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Despite the tough result, Dodson sees progress from his team and hailed their attitude and toughness as signs that his team's record does not show their actual quality.
"We go into games and we're already the underdog," Dodson said. "Sometimes it's tough to keep their heads up but this is a great group of girls. I've got a player with a sprained foot, another with multiple split toe nails and another with fracture in her right arm. They get embarrassed in the first two games but come back to score 14 in the third which is the highest we've ever scored against this team. These girls have guts and we're showing improvement."