By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

BIRMINGHAM – From the start of this volleyball season, first-year Spring Garden head coach Madison Bates had some doubt about playing Addison in the Class 1A state tournament, much less winning a set from the defending state champion Lady Bulldogs.

Tuesday evening showed everyone how far the Lady Panthers have come.

After falling in the first set 17-25, the Lady Panthers refused to back down. They took the second set 25-16 to even their best-of-five match at a set apiece.
However, the second set also seemed to refocus the 15-time state champions. Addison stormed back to win the third set 25-9 and finished off the Lady Panthers with a 25-14 victory in the fourth set.

Addison advances to meet Meek for the Class 1A state title on Wednesday at Bill Harris Arena. Meek defeated Kinston in Tuesday’s other state semifinal.

Spring Garden’s season ends at 30-20 – a 14-match win improvement from last season.

“I told them that just shows them how much they’ve improved from game one of the year until now,” Bates said. “This group loves volleyball and they work hard at it. It’s just a testament to their work ethic.”

Tuesday’s match against Addison was also an improvement from Spring Garden’s battle with the Lady Bulldogs at last week’s North Super Region in Hoover. Addison swept in that one to send Spring Garden to the third-place match, in which they defeated Marion County.

“Me and Coach (Stephanie) Steward have been scouting them the past four years, since Ace (Austin’s) junior or sophomore year. We’ve watched them a bunch,” Bates said of finding a chink in Addison’s armor. “(Number) 32 (senior middle Ava Bartlett) has improved a lot since the first time we played them. She’s really good. I felt like we contained her about as well as we could.

“I think we executed our game plan perfectly. We were tooling the block. We were hitting off their hands, and I think it got some of their best players frustrated. They started making mistakes. We just never lost momentum (in the second set) and we never looked back.”

But like a defending state champion does, Addison bounced back to regain momentum and didn’t look back either in sets three and four.

Aubrey Kelley led the Lady Panthers with 10 kills, seven digs and three aces. Addie Word added four kills, two digs and a block. Lleyton Carroll contributed 23 assists, three aces, a kill and a dig.

Kylie Bates came away with six kills and a dig. Maya Jennings managed four kills and a block.

Addie Smith and Lacie Jo McMurray posted 11 and six digs respectively. Anna Mae Griggs finished with two digs and an ace.

Out of those players, only McMurray – a senior – and Carroll and Kelley had prior state tournament experience.

And that experience was minimal.

“They might have got in to serve or might’ve got in for a point or two,” Bates said. “I thought we looked a little like newbies in the first (match) against Maplesville (earlier on Tuesday), but then I thought we looked like we’ve been here several times against Addison.”

That bodes well for the Lady Panthers’ future.

“We’re only missing Lacie,” Bates said. “That’s what we’ve always been told throughout our high school careers. You’ve got to get there before you can win it. Getting here is phase one. Next year, step two, is getting here and trying to win it.”