“We like taking on the best competition we can. It only helps make up better and I hope we will continue to improve. I really like our chemistry going into the rest of the season.”

Coastal Alabama head coach Ritchie Dulaney

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Coastal Alabama head coach Ritchie Dulaney’s Sun Chiefs improved to 11-1 with their most recent 3-0 win over the University of Mobile Rams JV at Jack Robertson Arena Monday.

“I think we’re building our confidence, doing better at working through a rough patch and getting back into finishing each point to our advantage,” she said.

The CACC Sun Chiefs’s attack was led by Hannah Fernandez with eight kills and Myshelle Long with seven. Maegan Parrillo added six and Mikayla Richard five. Christalyn Allen and Alexis Brantley contributed four each. Brantley, Fernandez and Long each had two blocks.

Brantley set for 17 assists and Jacquie Copeland had 15. In the back row, Hannah Barrett and Hannah Donoghue each had six digs. Parrillo and Richard each added three. At the line Barrett had five service aces, Fernandez four while Brantley and Donoghue each added two. The set scores were 25-11, 25-17, 25-12.

With their only loss — a four-setter to Wallace State-Hanceville — Dulaney said her team is looking forward to the rematch.

“We committed too many unforced errors against them and you can’t afford to give them anything. They will jump on every single mistake. We need to turn that around and play more error free and take advantage of the few they make when they do.

“But we also have to play more to our strengths consistently and capitalize on every opportunity because they won’t give up many, for sure.”

She credits much of the season’s high win-to-loss ratio to her sophomores’ experience and chemistry.

“Fortunate to have such a strong second-year group. We play with a little more confidence and don’t get ruffled up. You never want to lose the next point because you’re thinking about the last one. Sophomores tend to have learned that lesson by now and it shows.”

The Chiefs have a big road-trip weekend ahead starting Friday at Gadsden State (4 p.m.) and at Snead State (7 p.m.). Then they take on more four-year programs in a Tennessee trimatch with Cumberland and Walters Saturday.

“We like taking on the best competition we can,” Dulaney said. “It only helps make up better and I hope we will continue to improve. I really like our chemistry going into the rest of the season.”

The CACC women return home to Robertson Arena Oct. 2 hosting Wallace-Selma at 7 p.m. The big rematch with Wallace State –Hanceville is set for Friday the 13th at 2 p.m. at Hanceville.