Lady Dragons shaping up in tournament play

Winning preseason tournaments would be ideal for any volleyball program. Carroll is no different. The Lady Dragons (16-3) have enjoyed two strong weekends through the young season.

After finishing fifth at Pearland two weeks ago, the Lady Dragons lost to Allen in the championship match of Allen’s tournament. The Lady Eagles prevailed, 25-23, 25-22. The tournament was limited to a best two-out-of-three.

But in the process the Lady Dragons had a small District 7-6A preview when they played and defeated fellow district mates Coppell and Colleyville Heritage. Regardless, it was a better finish after Carroll started the week dropping a home match to Plano. Senior outside hitter Remy Fairchild, junior outside hitter Haley Hallgren and sophomore middle blocker Asjia O’Neal were named to the all-tournament team.

“There really wasn’t much we could do to stop [Plano],” Carroll coach Ryan Mitchell said. “So it was a gut check for us. But I thought we responded really well.

“With Haley, she did a great job leading us on and off the court. Remy’s defense was a lot better. It was a big weekend for her. She was totally engaged in each game.”

O’Neal’s growth

When Carroll’s 2014 squad featured senior middle blocker Madison Drescher, there really wasn’t much of an opportunity for the then-freshman O’Neal to contribute. She had her moments. But senior leadership is something that can’t be simulated.

O’Neal, now a sophomore, is settling into the middle of the front row. This is her time to grow. Mitchell knows that. However, Mitchell believes Drescher was a much more physical player with her strength and size.

For the 6-3 O’Neal, height is her greatest attribute. She can reach balls that otherwise would not be playable. It will be a matter of experience gained by O’Neal for every match she plays.

“It’s true, with every game, a new light bulb will click,” Mitchell said. “It’s going to be neat to be on that journey with her because she learns a new trick every time out there. She’s definitely not sliding back. I have seen her add a little piece to her game.”

Mitchell also wants O’Neal to have the mindset of closing out balls. What Mitchell is hoping to see is a far more mature, confident and seasoned player in October than the one he sees now. That will just take more time on the court.

“Asjia’s ability to reach every ball is something that you can’t simulate,” he said. “She’s going to develop into someone who will be a hard matchup.”

For now, O’Neal’s court time will remain limited to the front row. She will be substituted for the back row. It’s realistic that she could be a six-rotation player by either the end of this season or sometime in 2016.

Schedule

Carroll will frontload the schedule this week with practice time. Oddly enough, coaches do not get a lot of court time with their teams until district play begins. Carroll doesn’t play until Thursday against Abilene and then moves into the Plano tournament Friday and Saturday. The Lady Dragons were ranked No. 3 in the latest Lone Star Preps volleyball poll.

This story was originally published August 24, 2015 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Lady Dragons shaping up in tournament play."