Despite winning in straight sets against Warsaw Tuesday night, California head coach Julie Bailey still believes her team can play better.
"Well, it's exciting, but I guess like a typical coach, you're never happy," Bailey said. "I know the girls still aren't playing at their potential, and we're still making a lot of mistakes that we shouldn't be making. Especially hitting errors that typically we would be getting in."
The Lady Pintos defeated the Lady Wildcats 25-16, 25-13 for their first win of the season. California (1-3, 1-1 Tri County Conference) lost 2-0 to Boonville, Eldon and Cole Camp to begin the season.
"They seemed a little bit more positive, came together as a team and were encouraging each other," Bailey said after the win. "They didn't get as down on themselves as they have been."
Adrienne Strickfaden and Gracie George started off the set with two kills, then the Lady Pintos jumped out to a 4-1 lead after a Cassie Dearixon ace. Emma Bailey and Ashtyn Goans got in on the action with two kills apiece to extend the lead to 11-7.
"Ashtyn Goans had some really good hits out in the middle," Bailey said. "She had been trying to swing across her body, and was sending a lot of them out, but she made that adjustment"
After a couple of errors on California, Warsaw cut the lead to 12-11. The Lady Pintos didn't back down though, scoring 10-of-13 points to close out the set. With the 15-13 lead, California's Strickfaden blocked Warsaw's kill attempt, then Cameron Meyer recorded two kills to push the lead to 20-15. The set ended with another Goans kill and a set-clinching ace by Meyer.
Strickfaden has been slowed by a rib injury she suffered before the season, and after missing the first game, Bailey thought she re-injured it in the second game against Eldon.
"We thought that she had re-broken her rib, but it was a bruise," Bailey said. "She ended up playing at Cole Camp. We came in Monday morning before Cole Camp and she practiced a little bit then, but she hadn't really practiced since Thursday against Eldon. She seemed better (Wednesday)."
Strickfaden was second on team with six kills and she had one block.
In the second set, California didn't let up on offense. In fact, Bailey says the set showed more her team's potential.
"It was good to see them play more at their ability," Bailey said. "In the second, our passers were moving forward to the ball and making really good passes that our setters could set, then our hitters could hit."
George started the set with a kill, and a couple of Warsaw errors extended the Lady Pintos' lead to 7-4. Then, Meyer and Kayla Allison recorded aces to push the lead to 11-6.
That was the beginning of a long California run. The Lady Pintos reeled off seven of the next nine points to take a commanding 18-8 advantage.
"We made improvements definitely in the second set," Bailey said. "The first set, we hit a lot out. We started capitalizing and getting those in, in the second set. That made the difference."
Meyer had three kills in the final four California points to close out the match.
"She really came along in that second set and getting her hits," Bailey said. "She was having some trouble in the first set, kind of cutting the ball and hitting them out."
Meyer led the team with seven kills and Emma Bailey and George were tied for third with three each. Allison was first in digs with 13 and Dearixon was second with eight.
California's JVB and JVA teams defeated its opponents in straight sets. The JVB beat Tipton 25-10, 25-7, and the JVA team won 25-12, 25-10 against Warsaw's junior varsity squad.
California will hit the road Thursday to take on rival Blair Oaks at 5:30 p.m. starting with the JVB game.