DECATUR -- The Decatur senior high volleyball team had reason to celebrate Aug. 25 when it won its first conference match ever against the Eureka Springs Highlanders at Peterson Gym in Decatur.
The team first traveled south to Fort Smith to take on the Union Christian Eagles Aug. 23 in the first match of the 2016 volleyball season. The team played well throughout the three-set match but was unable to gain the advantage, and the Eagles took all three sets, 25 to 6, 25 to 6, and 25 to 10, to win the match.
"They played well on Tuesday, but things weren't breaking for us," said Jessica Castagna, volleyball coach. "I made some position changes for that game that really didn't work for us."
This 2016 volleyball season marks the Bulldogs' entrance into conference play. Since 2015 was the first season, Decatur was in a probationary period and was ineligible to play in a conference.
Once the probation period has been completed, the Bulldogs are now able to play in a conference. Last May the Arkansas Activities Association reorganized the eight conferences in the state. Some schools moved up into bigger conferences while others moved into smaller ones.
For the Decatur Bulldogs, the AAA decided to place the Decatur Bulldog volleyball team in two conferences. During the regular season, the volleyball team will play in the 1A/4A conference with Gravette, Gentry, West Fork and Shiloh Christian. During the playoffs, the Bulldogs will play 3A/1A with Eureka Springs, Elkins, Bergman, Green Forest, Alpena and Valley Springs.
The Aug. 25 match with the Highlanders began with the new junior high B team which consisted of the seventh- and eighth-grade inexperienced players. They lost both sets to the Highlanders.
The junior high team is made up of the more experienced eighth- and ninth-graders. In the best of three series, the Bulldogs pulled off a two-set victory over Eureka Springs to take the team's first match win, 25 to 12, 25 to 19.
The senior volleyball team took the court for the final match of the evening. With the same enthusiasm exhibited in the opening of last season, the Bulldogs quickly took control of the match and easily defeated the Highlanders in three straight sets, 25 to 16, 25 to 12, 25 to 13.
"I made position changes that really seemed to work for us in this game," Castagna said. "We had a lot of depth coming off the bench. This is the team I expected to see tonight. It is always good to have a win like this to begin the season."
The Bulldogs will travel to Gentry to take on the Pioneers at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 1. They travel to Lincoln to take on the Wolves again at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 6.
For a complete schedule of Decatur Bulldog volleyball matches, go to decatursd.com/athletics.
Sports on 08/31/2016