Page 79 of Brick Wall
There is a rally going for point fourteen, but her player Kara hits the ball to the back of the court, and it’s out of bounds.
However, the camera shows Annie on the screen and she pulls a green card out to challenge the call.
Like football, a coach can challenge the ruling. If the coach is correct and the play is overturned, the coach will be able to use the challenge card again. If they are wrong, the play will stand, and they lose their challenge. They get two challenges per game with Annie using her last challenge on this play. The ball went out of bounds, but she questions the no-touch rule, insisting that it was touched before the ball went out of bounds from the opponent.
The camera is showing us a few angles, and it looks like my girl may be correct. The ball did go out of bounds in the back, but it appears the ball may have grazed the fingertips of the middle blocker.
The call comes back, and Annie is correct and point fourteen goes to CHU. They need to win by two points, but the girls are close to victory. I can feel it.
The room is silent as I watch the rest of the game unfold. Texas gains two more points in a row, and CHU is now down by one. Crap. The winning team needs to win by two, and Texas is close.
The game is turning, and Texas has momentum. There’s a huge volley, but in the end, the ball goes out of bounds by a smidge on CHU.
Texas wins.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Annie
We lost. Not only did we lose against Texas to advance to the finals yesterday, but we also lost the consolation game today for third place.
The air is quiet as we fly home. It’s late and everyone is exhausted, including me.
However, I am very proud of my team. We were underdogs going into the tournament, not ranking as well as the other top four teams remaining. Fourth place is still a tremendous accomplishment.
We did far better than anyone thought we would, well, except for me and my players, of course. I knew I had a great team and was ready to prove to the world they belonged in the final four.
My phone pings, and I look at my email. Another potential job offer inquiry.
I guess I impressed a few different universities, getting my team to the Top Four at the start of my third season of beinghead coach at CHU.
Our team kept getting stronger and stronger as the season went on, but I attribute that to the fierceness of my players. They’re such a strong and amazing team.
I barely look at the email. I’m flattered, but I like where I am. The university is a great fit for me and I love working in my home state of Massachusetts.
I’m looking forward to bringing home the title next year. My team is only losing two seniors, with some of my strongest players being underclassmen. My recruitment efforts are promising as well as other areas of my life. I’ve never been so fulfilled on and off the court.
I look back at my players on the plane, and most have fallenasleep. We still have a few hours left to go. I close my eyes and rest, just for a moment.
* * *
“Why is there a highland cow on my bed?” I ask Goldie as I enter the living space with an adorable cow stuffed animal in my hands.
“Sebastian brought it over,” Goldie says simply.
“Okaayy,” I let the one word spread out until I feel less confused, which doesn’t happen.
“He wanted to cheer you up.”
“With a highland cow?”
“Doesn’t that cheer everyone up?”
I take a look at this adorable highland cow and already feel a tad better. “Probably,” I say to Goldie and walk back to my room to unpack from Louisville.
I grab my phone from my bag, sit on the end of my bed, and begin to text Sebastian.
Annie: Thank you for the cow.
