Lady Dragons fall short in region semifinals

October 23, 2024 by Ken Lay

After watching her team win a second-consecutive District 3-AAA tournament championship, Clinton High School volleyball Coach Lorri Johnson hoped to see the Lady Dragons take the next step.

She aspired to emerge victorious in a Region 2-AAA tournament match and reach the sectional round of the state playoffs.

However, the Lady Dragons came up just short of that goal, dropping a 25-20, 25-17, 25-23 decision to District 4-AAA runner-up Maryville on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at Farragut High School’s Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium.

All three sets in the region semifinals between Clinton and the Lady Rebels were competitive, as the scores indicated, so Johnson took consolation in that.

“We’re improving,” she said. “We were competitive in last year’s region semifinal against Hardin Valley Academy, and then the third set got away from us.

“This year, we were in all three sets, and I’m proud of these girls. These games were all competitive.”

However, Clinton picked up a pair of bad breaks during the ultra-competitive third and decisive set.

The Lady Dragons lost two points late in the set when the ball hit a low-hanging basketball goal.

“It sucks, but it is what it is,” Johnson said.

Josie Moody, a junior, led the Lady Dragons’ hitting attack with 10 kills. She also totaled 10 assists, nine digs, and one block.

Jailie Rodd finished with six kills and eight digs. She was Clinton’s leading passer, recording 18 assists. Junior Lanee Carmichael added five kills and five digs, while Parker McGhee chipped in three kills, five digs, three blocks, and an ace. McKenzie Crisp had 14 digs for the Lady Dragons.

With the 2024 campaign now in the rearview mirror, Johnson is looking toward the future.

“We had a great season, and I’m proud of the girls; they all worked hard,” Johnson said. “We’ll have some girls back, and we have some girls coming up from the middle school. They won their district this year.”