Jacksonville High School’s volleyball team is treading where few schools have ever tread. While almost halfway through the season the Lady Eagles are not only 23-0 but have not lost a single game, reeling off 49 straight wins.
The latest victories were gained over the weekend when Jacksonville won the Southeast Challenge at Southside, and in the process gained a little revenge as well.
Last year, Jacksonville went into the Southeast Challenge undefeated with a record of 18-0, even though they had lost some games.
In the tournament the Lady Eagles suffered their first three losses of the year, the first one coming to Germantown, a team out of Tennessee. This year, Jacksonville beat Germantown in the finals of the Southeast Challenge to claim the tournament crown and keep their record clean.
While many who follow the volleyball team know of the heroics of middle hitters Elizabeth Neisler and Taylor Palmer, and outside hitters Laura Risse and Caroline Neisler. Sometimes forgotten is the play of libero Leah Bell.
Bell, a senior defensive specialist for the Lady Eagles, is possibly one of the most important elements of the Lady Eagle team. Bell is the one who is responsible for making the digs; for getting the perfect pass to the setter to set up the hitters.
Head coach David Clark is extremely aware of his senior defensive player’s importance. “There isn’t that much attention given to the libero unless you are a coach or someone who really understands the game and understands how critical Leah is for us.
“What that person (libero) is, is someone who you think is a good enough defensive player and is critical enough that you need them out there all the time. Leah’s play is very important. I always feel that if Leah is going well we’re going to go well as a group. Her ability to pass the ball the way she does allows us to be in the offense we’re in.
“Leah is always out there on every rotation. It’s a huge responsibility and she does a great job with it.”
Bell hardly leaves the court, except for when Elizabeth Neisler is serving, other than that she is the floor manager. “Her being out there all the time gives us a chance to play every ball. Her effort and the way she approaches it and the way she reads hitters…I don’t even know how you measure it. She’s critical to us,” says Clark.
Bell not only is the one who is scrambling and diving on the floor to make a dig, (she already has amassed 137 on the season) and to make a great pass, but she is an outstanding server as well with 31 aces already under her belt.
“Leah serves the ball extremely hard,” remarks Clark. “She has a line drive serve that knuckles and comes just over the top of the tape. It’s really hard for defensive players to judge and read. Her excellent serve is just another aspect she gives to us.”
For Leah, playing on the back row is her chance to shine. “I don’t have a chance to hit or get a kill, playing on the back row is the only chance I get.”
Having won the state championship last year Leah says she feels the pressure. “There’s always pressure. Being a senior there’s more pressure because this is my last chance. This year is harder because we have a harder season; so it’s not much pressure if we lose a game because we are playing against harder teams. But it is hard because this is the farthest we’ve gone undefeated. Every ball that hits the floor it hurts because I think,’ I could have gotten that!’”
Bell has only played at the libero position for two years and admits that it is a hard position to learn.
“Reading the blocker and reading the hitter; where the holes are and where the ball comes off the hitters’ hand. There’s a lot to learn. I really just try to get a hand on it!” laughs Bell.
Bell admits that playing against teams that aren’t very strong isn’t much fun. “I just get free balls so that isn’t very exciting, but against teams like Pelham and Spain Park it’s more exciting for me.”
Bell will have a chance to get all the excitement she wants as Jacksonville will travel to Birmingham on September 30 to play 6A powerhouse Pelham, ranked No.1 in the state rankings, and Spain Park in a tri-match. The next day the Lady Eagles will return to Birmingham to face Briarwood, currently ranked No. 2 in 5A.
The No. 1 ranked Lady Eagles (4A) will have a chance to see just how they match up against some really good competition. “It will be one of the most exciting games we’ve had this season,” says Clark. “It will be one of the few games we go into where all the pressure won’t be on us. It’s one of those games where you can relax and have fun.”
Clark admits that being undefeated helps keep the team motivated, but feels that the team’s intensity has a tendency to come and go. “If you feel like ability wise you are further along than someone else then you tend to relax a little bit and you’re not as intense, not as focused. This is just a natural thing for kids and athletes to do.
“This group has a lot of pride in what they do, in the game itself and in the game they play. When we feel pushed it’s a different feeling, a different intensity on the court. It’s more fun for the kids to be challenged.”
The Lady Eagles will find themselves getting more and more challenged as the season goes into its second half. On the back row will be Bell, quietly impacting the outcome of every game.
