Jared's World

Tuesday, October 6: The Lady Titans picked up their fourth win in a row with a decisive victory over the visiting Burgin squad 2-0 Tuesday evening.

Burgin was shorthanded with several absent due to sickness or vacation and Mercer was able to take advantage of the short-staffed Lady Bulldogs for their third district win in the past two weeks. Mercer won the two games 25-14 and 25-9.

“Everyone is pushing themselves harder than ever to try and make up for those not here or not feeling up to par.”

“They made an admirable effort against Mercer tonight, and I hope we will be at full strength when we meet them again at the District Tournament on Tuesday,” Burgin coach Maggie McKnight said.

The district tournament schedule is now clear, with Mercer County hosting this year’s competition next week. It begins on Tuesday with Mercer facing Burgin at 6:00 p.m.

For a complete report on both teams, check out this week’s edition of The Harrodsburg Herald.

The Lady Bulldogs picked up their first win in 12 matches against KSD Thursday night, winning 25-14 and 25-12 on the road.

Senior Beth Miller and junior Abbey Worley each had five kills in the match. Sophomores Kaelin May and Lindsey Monson each had four service aces over KSD.

Coach Maggie McKnight said the win is encouraging and her team is buckling down for an important stretch coming up.

“We are showing improvement. The girls are working hard to get ready for the next three games at home.”

Despite a surprising success in last year’s All-A Tournament, Burgin fell in all four matches in this year’s tournament last Saturday.

After playing a season of junior-varisty games, Burgin surprised many with a second-place finish in the 2008 All-A games. Burgin was unable to win pool games and didn’t advance past the first round of tournament play this year. The Lady Bulldogs lost three of those matches to teams they’d success against in the past.

In pool play, they fell to Danville, despite beating the Lady Admirals at home nine days earlier. Burgin lost two matches to Somerset, who they tied with a set each in the McCreary Central Invitational a week earlier.

Beth Miller, Brooke Ransdell and Lindsey Monson all had three blocks in the four matches Saturday. Junior Brooke Ransdell led the team with seven kills in the tournament.

“Today was disappointing. We have a difficult time stepping on the court ready to play. The team started out every game flat. By the time they started to perform, we would be down 10 or so points,” head coach Maggie McKnight said.

“They pulled it together much quicker in the tournament play against Somerset. It just proved to be too little, too late.”

Pool Play Match & Game Scores:
Burgin (0) v. Monticello (2) 6-21; 17-21
Burgin (0) v. Danville (2) 14-21; 14-21
Burgin (0) v. Somerset (2) 13-21; 12-21

Tournament Match & Game Score:
Burgin (0) v. Somerset (2) 21-25; 24-26

In action last week, Burgin lost a tough one to Garrard County on the road. They lost on the road 18-25 and 20-25 but they’re looking forward to taking on the Lady Lions later this season.

“I am pleased with the team’s performance in the match against Garrard,” McKnight said.

“They fought hard and stayed in the game mentally. We look forward to facing Garrard at home and in the District Tournament.”

In a season of firsts, most every common statistic can be treated as a milestone. But a team’s first win is a defining moment for a program in its infancy.

Burgin’s first-year varsity program picked up their first victory with a win over KSD Tuesday night, 3-0. Head coach Maggie McKnight said the team is growing closer together everytime they hit the hardwood.

“I am proud of the girls’ effort tonight. The players are beginning to be able to anticipate each other’s actions and as a result are looking more like a team on the court.”

“We hope to continue to build momentum in the contest against Danville on Thursday night,” McKnight said.

For the complete report on the win and Burgin’s loss to McCreary Central, check out this week’s issue of The Harrodsburg Herald. For photos from the McCreary Central game, check out The Harrodsburg Herald’s Flickr page.