The Straughn Lady Tigers are looking to bounce back in the state tournament in Birmingham on Wednesday, after dropping their final two games at the South Regionals last week.

“The girls are eager to bounce back after regionals,” Straughn head volleyball coach Daniel Rodgers said. “That last game against T.R. Miller is the only game that I didn’t feel like we competed well. I don’t know if it was because it was so late or what, but the girls are ready to get back out there and show what they are made of.”

In last week’s South Regional tournament, the Lady Tigers secured a spot in the state tournament by winning their first two games.

The Lady Tigers fell in the final two games and are the South’s No. 4-seed heading into the state tournament.

“Even though we lost to Bayside, I felt like that was one of the best games that we played all season,” Rodgers said. “Three-out-of-four games at regionals, we played great, but against T.R. Miller we just weren’t communicating well.”

As the No. 4-seed from the South, the Lady Tigers will face the No. 1-seed from the North in Carbon Hill.

“They are going to be a very aggressive team,” Rodgers said. “I know that they are the No. 1-seed in the North for a reason, but I also know that they can be beat. When you get to Birmingham, everyone has a good team. You have to be ready to bring it on every play.”

For the Lady Tigers to have success at the state tournament, Rodgers said they have to stick with the things they know.

“We have to remember the things that got us here,” Rodgers said. “We have to stay aggressive and stay on attack. We can be the windshield or we can be the bug, and we have to go in with a windshield mentality.
The Lady Tigers resume their quest for a state championship when they take on Carbon Hill at the state volleyball tournament at 2 p.m., in Birmingham.