When Monticello coach Meg Carpenter stood near the Mustangs’ bench Tuesday night, she could look down the sideline and see Mark Ragland standing on the other side near the Albemarle bench, was at least a little strange.
“It is a little weird, but I’m proud to be able to learn from the things he taught me as a player and instill them here,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter, in her first season as the Mustangs’ head coach, was one of Ragland’s charges from 2007 to 2009, part of a 2008 state championship squad and still a part of the Patriots’ record book, checking in in the program’s all-time top 10 in serve percentage and service points.
“We talked before the game. He was a great coach (when I was a player) and is a great role model still,” Carpenter said. “I think it’s a privilege to coach against (him), I’m really honored to do it. It’s awesome.”
Ragland was equally thrilled to coach against a former player, as it’s just the second time in his career that he’s done so.
“Excitement is the word that comes to mind for me,” Ragland said. “I see her working with a group of young ladies and knowing the positive effect she’s going to have over a period of time excites me. To have someone of her quality and integrity teaching young ladies is an amazing thing.”
Ragland got the better of Carpenter in their first matchup, with the Patriots winning 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-20). The Patriots are in the midst of building the confidence of a barrage of new players and at times Tuesday night, Albemarle appeared to find a rhythm.
“We’re having spurts of that but then we kind of regress a little bit,” Ragland said. “I think part of that is growing up on the court and being mentally tough no matter what happens.”
The Patriots were solid at the service line against the Mustangs, with Sarah Hanssen ripping off 18 service points that included an extremely productive eight aces. Four of those aces game in a critical game two stretch. Emery Hawkins and Katie Schnell also managed solid stints at the service line that helped Albemarle seize control of games one and two.
Danielle LaRosa also gave the Patriots a defensive weapon with seven blocks, a huge night at the net for the junior.
Monticello refused to go away despite those efforts, rallying to make the third game particularly tight, forcing Albemarle to battle to close out the match. That continued fight is becoming a hallmark for an inexperienced Mustangs squad that is becoming a tougher out for the district’s elite squads.
“It has taken a lot of growth and every team has their ups and downs,” Carpenter said. “I don’t think we haven’t had as long of a down streak as we did this game, but the fact that they didn’t stay down, even at the end is impressive. We’ll keep fighting.”
Gabbi DeGennaro led Albemarle with seven kills while Hanssen triggered the offense with 24 assists. Schnell paced the Patriots in digs with 10 while Madison Warlick came up with eight digs on the night.
Allie Cognata had six kills on the night for the Mustangs while Haley Brown and Makysha Brock each chipped in three kills. Amaya Gibson had 12 digs and Jewell Pugh notched 11 assists at setter.
The Mustangs will host Fluvanna County Thursday in a key Jefferson District matchup while Albemarle will host a Powhatan squad that’s currently unbeaten in Jefferson District play the same night.
