By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SPRING GARDEN – Throughout her coaching career against Spring Garden, Sand Rock volleyball coach Lisa Bates has dueled it out with Ricky Austin in countless gutsy matches.

On Tuesday, Bates was across the court from someone new at the helm of the Lady Panthers: her daughter-in-law Madison Bates.

“That’s fun. I can’t be a loser in that game,” Sand Rock’s Bates said. “I’ve got my (future) grandson and daughter-in-law on the other side. She’s doing a good job over there and putting a lot into it. I’m proud of her.”

“I kind of felt like I was back in high school again playing against her,” Spring Garden’s Bates said. “Sand Rock is always competitive with us. It’s just the rivalry and the nature of the competitiveness.”

As Spring Garden’s Bates alluded, the competitiveness between the two teams remained unchanged on Tuesday. The two teams scratched and clawed for every point, and it was no surprise the match went the distance.

Sand Rock took the first set 25-22, but the Lady Panthers rallied to win sets two and three 25-23 and 15-10 respectively.

The two teams also played White Plains, with both going the distance and winning in three sets. Sand Rock defeated the Lady Wildcats 25-17, 20-25, 15-11. Spring Garden capped the tri-match with a 25-21, 21-25, 15-9 victory.

For Sand Rock, going the distance has been the norm during the early part of the season. Six straight matches have gone to the deciding set for the Lady Wildcats. They had lost their previous five until they snapped that streak against White Plains.

“I was getting a little frustrated, but I think we might have found something that can work a little bit better,” Lisa Bates said. “We’ve just got to finish. We’re not bad. We’ve just not been finishing until we got to that (White Plains third set). That’s good that we finally got one so we can see that we can finish.”

Lisa Bates noted the play of Aubie Camp and Emma Sipsy for the day. Camp delivered 34 digs while Sipsy collected 32 digs, 21 kills and five blocks.

“Those two really turned it up when it mattered,” she said.

Maddie Clanton contributed 57 assists, 18 digs and a pair of blocks for the Lady Wildcats (2-5).

Molly Grace Lay added 26 digs and 18 kills. Alyvia Browder and Addisyn McMichen posted nine kills apiece. Macy Martin finished with 17 digs.

Sand Rock plays in the Battle by the Lake at Guntersville on Saturday.

Spring Garden’s Bates is also trying to figure some things out with her club, even though they’re off to a 3-0 start.

Like her mother-in-law, the younger Bates was proud of how her team finished against White Plains.

“We’ve been harping on them in serve-receive,” she said. “I thought they came out and executed a lot better in that third (set) against White Plains. When we made an adjustment they were quick to it.

“We can’t go backwards from here. We’ve got to keep on pushing. I think the more they play together, the more reps they get in a game situation, I think they’ll end up being all right.”

Against White Plains, Aubrey Kelley collected nine kills and a pair of aces. Kylie Bates delivered five kills. Addie Word contributed two kills, two aces and two blocks. Hayden Parris also had a pair of kills.

Maya Jennings added a kill and a block. Lacie Jo McMurray and Gracie Simpson both finished with an ace.

In the win over Sand Rock, Kelley came away with nine kills. Bates added five kills and Jennings had three kills. Lleyton Carroll and Carmen Truss both contributed a kill. McMurray, Addie Smith and Simpson each had an assist.

Spring Garden hosts Donoho and Cherokee County on Thursday beginning at 5 p.m.