Special to the ShowMe Times
By Baylee Taylor
The Rebel Yeller Staff

ESSEX - The Richland Lady Rebels hosted its third annual Dig Pink volleyball game to raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer.

The volleyball matchup Monday evening against New Madrid was held at Richland gym and all funds raised were donated to the Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Foundation to help local families fighting breast cancer. Money was raised through selling t-shirts, a 50/50 raffle which the money was generously given back, and selling little pink volleyballs to hang on the wall for those who are or who have fought cancer.

The girls were pumped up and ready to get a victory over the Lady Eagles. The junior varsity took the floor at 6p.m. with a spark that they hoped would bring them to get that “W”.

“They came out fighting hard, but something happened that got the girls down,” says head coach, Lisa Taylor. “They can’t let one mistake get to their heads.”

The JV girls ended with an upset the first set, coming out with a score of 20–25.

“I expected us to do better than we did, but unfortunately we got our heads down,” says sophomore, McKenzie Hillis. “We need to learn not to let one little mistake get us down and we can pull out a win before season is over.”

In the second set the girls let one server get to their heads and bring them down. They just couldn’t get that one pass. They finally got the ball back on their side with the score being 13-1. They fought hard and weren’t giving up, but that didn’t earn them that win. New Madrid took the second set 19–25.

The Senior Night ceremony was held between the two games. Chelsea Freeman, Shelby Lampkin, and Paige McCormick were honored at their last home game.

Gifts, flowers, and hugs were exchanged along with a lot of tears. That didn’t get the girls down. They were ready to “dig fore a cause” and claim another win for the record books!

The varsity came out fighting from the beginning and they refused to give up.

 “I was very proud of the girls!” Coach Taylor exclaims. “I don’t think I have EVER seen them play that hard and want something that bad.”

The girls were not about to lose on such a special night. After winning the first set 14-25, they were on a roll to win that second set. The score was close the whole game, at one point the girls were down four points but they didn’t let that get to their heads. They were full of fight and refused to give up until they came out on top. The girls got what they wanted; they succeeded and won the game, 25-20.

The Lady Rebels are on the road Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Clarkton, and Thursday, Oct. 20 at Risco.

Photo Above: The Richland Rebel varsity and junior varsity squads pose for a photo in the pink uniforms (Photo courtesy Janie King)