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The CCCHS Lady Raider volleyball team began their season with a close win at Grundy County on Monday night, beating the Lady Jackets in a five set match.

Coffee County would get off to a good start in the first set, scoring the first three points and pulling out to a 7-3 lead. Even though Grundy County would try to make things close, trimming the Lady Raider lead to 10-8 midway through, the Lady Raiders dominated the rest of the first set and went on to win 25-13.

In the second set, the Lady Jackets erupted for 11 unanswered points at the start, and despite the best efforts by the Lady Raiders, who cut the Grundy County lead down to 17-13 at one point, the Lady Jackets went on to win the set 25-17 and tie things up at one set apiece.

Coffee County would answer in the third set, winning 25-21, but Grundy County narrowly scraped by in the fourth to win 25-23 and force the extra set.

The Lady Jackets would race out to a 7-4 lead in the fifth set, but the Lady Raiders would not go away quietly, tying the score at 10-10 before taking the lead 11-10. Grundy County would tie the score back at 11-11, but Coffee County outscored them 4-2 the rest of the way to win 15-13 and take the match 3-2.

“We found a way to win,” said Coach Andrew Taylor. “It wasn’t pretty, but you’re never sure how pretty it’s going to be early on in the season. We have a lot of new pieces in new places, so everybody is just trying to find their way.”

Even though the Lady Raiders escaped with a big victory, Taylor believes that they could improve in one key area.

“We have to serve better,” he said. “If you’re sitting there with the ball in your hand while nobody’s bothering you, you have to get to the service line and hit the ball in. Serving is something that has to be better.”

The Lady Raiders will play host to Tullahoma on Tuesday, Aug. 20 with JV action starting at 5 p.m.