The Demopolis High Lady Tigers volleyball team dropped their season opener 3-0 to the Paul W. Bryant Stampede. “We must learn to play together a little more,” said Sandra Ransom who along with Tammy Thrasher filled in for head coach Beverly Jones. “We were running into each other out there. But this was a good practice game for us.” Jones was not available due to JROTC some mandatory training.

“It was first game jitters for us,” says Thrasher. To the defense of the Lady Tigers, the 6A Paul Bryant has played four games already this season. Their record is 3-1. They looked more confident and they played as a team.

“We were able to get some playing experience in for all my girls,” said Bryant head coach Tamila Terry. “We’re playing better as a team. But I thought Demopolis had a lot of heart, they never gave up.

Co-captains Sarah Davis and Jasmine Simmons set the pace for the Lady Tigers in the first game. But with the game knotted at nine, the Stampede scored the next eight out of 10 points. The Lady Tigers fell back by as much as eight points. They could only get as close as three points the rest of the way losing 25-20.

In the second game PW Bryant opened with five consecutive points. Demopolis wouldn’t be out done. They came right back with six straight of their own on the serve of Simmons including five aces. But youth and inexperience showed up and the team from Tuscaloosa overpowered the Lady Tigers 25-13.

Game three wasn’t pretty for DHS. They seem to be in a little lost. Joshalyn Lawson scored the first points for the Lady Tigers, Simmons recorded another ace, but not much happened after that. Te Stampede blew by them 25-8.

Demopolis(0-1) will get right back on the court tonight when the Lady Raiders of Greensboro pays a visit. Game time is 5:00 p.m. at the DHS gym.