When games began Friday in the B.A. Sports Volleyball Classic, the Central Tigers were looking for their first win this season.

More importantly they were looking for signs of improvement.

After the team finished last season with a 2-21-1 record in its first year with coach Sheila Midgett, she is trying to bring the Tigers' volleyball program back to life.

Senior captain Anna Brisso said the attitude of the team changed immediately when Midgett came in.

"Since my freshman year we played just to play," she said. "Since coach came we have really learned the basics."

Central is one of 40 teams entered in the two-day event, which concludes today. Games begin at 8:30 a.m. and wrap up with championships at 6:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center.

Although the Tigers started the season 0-4-1, including Friday night's loss to Bernie, Midgett said she has seen improvements from last season.

"We're getting better each and every match," she said. "We're a lot better fundamentally."

With matches against Bernie, Perryville, Puxico and Farmington in the two-day tournament, the Tigers will have plenty of chances to see how far they have come.

"We'll see a lot of good competition," Midgett said.

In its opening match Friday, Central lost their first game 15-4 to Bernie, only to come back and make the second game close, losing 15-9.

Midgett said as her team starts to execute and play more consistently they will see more victories.

"We have the ability and potential to beat anyone," she said.

For Brisso the tournament is a chance to play against a higher level of competition, which will help the team down the road.

"It'll help us throughout the season," she said.

Although Midgett does not expect an overnight turnaround from her team, she said tournaments like this weekend's will help her team turn the corner.

"Every opportunity to play is an opportunity to get better," she said.

A key to Central's volleyball future could be the development of younger players. Central this year has an eighth-grade team for the first time.

As Central looks to the tournament for its first win, Scott City hopes the tournament will give it the chance to show how its program has come.

With a new coach and a new system, Scott City started the season with a bang. Under coach Laura Ort the team is 7-1, including a second-place finish at the SEMO Conference Tournament this week.

Ort said this weekend's tournament will help show her team how it stacks up against top teams in Missouri.

"You'll definitely see your strengths and weaknesses at a big tournament like this," Ort said.

Scott City showed no signs of slowing down in its opening match, a 15-4, 15-1 win over Marquand.

Among other area games at the B.A. Sports Volleyball Classic, Jackson finished 1-0-1, defeating Sikeston 15-2, 15-3, and splitting with Oakville 10-15, 15-7. Notre Dame also finished the day 1-0-1 with a split with Poplar Bluff 13-15, 15-9 and a victory over St. Elizabeth Academy 16-14, 15-5.

jjoffray@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 171