August 31, 2009 - COVINGTON
It's always nice to come out with a win in the season opener due to all of the preparation that goes into a season.

For Covington coach Jim Smith, Monday's 3-1 victory in the season opener was extra special due to past history and the fact his team had several new faces in the lineup.

"We haven't beaten Fairlawn to start the season since I've been here," said a pleased Covington coach. "We beat them in the tournament, but not to start the season."

And Smith was worried with the way the contest began.

"They got up on us early (in the first game)," Smith explained. "I think the girls were a little nervous because we missed a lot of serves and were caught out of position a lot."

But Covington was able to get back into the first game with a nice rally and eventually eked out a 29-27 win.

"Fairlawn is always a scrappy team," Smith praised of the visitors. "We were able to get some really good hits on the ball, but they seemed to always be there for the dig. Fortunately we were able to put a good run together and get the first game."

The thrilling victory in the first game gave Covington the momentum to take the second game 25-21.

But the scrappiness of Fairlawn took its toll on Covington in the third game as unforced errors became a problem. The Jets took advantage by building a 23-12 lead before a late Covington surge made the score a respectable 25-18.

"Our serving in that game wasn't very good at all," Smith explained. "We did make a push there at the end that I think carried over into the fourth game."

Which is where Covington finally showcased the quality of volleyball it is capable of playing in a 25-14 victory.

"We started playing the way we are capable of in the last game," Smith said. "We still had some mistakes that we need to correct, but overall that was out best game."

Which is something Smith and the Lady Buccs can build on as they look to improve their 1-0 record.

"It's nice to see 1-0 on our record instead of 0-1," said Smith. "But we have a big league game on Thursday against Mississinawa Valley. They gave us our only league loss last year and they have a lot back."

If Monday's performance is any indication, Covington should be up for the challenge.