Warriors sweep Flucos

In the Jefferson District, there is one team that has run the table in volleyball - Western Albemarle. Another team, Fluvanna, has also beaten every team in the JD – except Western, that is.

Tuesday night, these two teams met, and the result went according to the script. Though the Flucos hung tough for two sets, in the end, it was the Warriors who pulled away in the match and in every set, beating Fluvanna for the second time this season to remain undefeated in the JD with a 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-21, 25-14).

Also predictable was the best player on the court - Western’s all-state senior outside hitter Sarah Harper had game highs of nine kills, 12 digs, and three assists. Though the Warriors’ second-most

prolific attacker, Chastity Lacy, contributed six kills, Megan Adams’ seven kills and 10 assists made her the next-most productive Warrior.

Another senior, Kristen Pack, also contributed four kills.

“We had a lot of seniors on the court tonight,” Western coach Lance Rogers said. “Their experience showed in those tough situations.”

After the Warriors’ overall undefeated record was snapped by two-time reigning Group AA champion Loudoun County on Oct. 3, Rogers said they were ready to defend their home court against the Flucos.

“Playing them made us better, no question,” Rogers said.

“We saw a lot of things that we haven’t seen before [from Loudoun County],” Harper added. “They’ve got some big girls that can swing hard, and we just had to adjust to that. It really helped us going into this match, because we knew it was going to be tough from the start.”

In each of the first two sets, it was Fluvanna (10-4, 7-2 JD), however, that found the early lead. The Flucos opened with an 8-4 lead in the first set and a 6-4 advantage in the second.

“We knew we would get a great battle from [Fluvanna],” Rogers said.

“They play with high emotion, high intensity, and high focus, Fluvanna does. It was a back-and-forth struggle before we were able to pull away at the end.”

However, Western (13-1, 8-0 JD) was unfazed.

“We have a saying all the time: it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Rogers said. “We feel, if a team runs a few points on you early in the game, that’s all right, because we’re gonna come back with good, consistent, focused play.”

Led by Harper’s dominant play, the Warriors indeed fought back to knot the score at 10 in each set before pulling away. In the first, the Warriors used a 9-2 run to gain a three-point advantage, and the

Flucos never came closer than a two-point margin as the Warriors took care of business to start the match.

“I think the first game, we were really pumped because of the crowd and everything,” Harper said. “Everyone was really nervous before the game, but then when we started, we got in our groove and started playing.”

The Flucos put up their biggest fight in the second game. This time after the score came to 10-all, the two teams seesawed back-and-forth, as the lead changed four times. After winning several long rallies, Fluvanna even held a 19-17 lead.

Thanks to some Fluvanna mistakes, though, Western had another spurt just in time to take control of the set. Fluvanna committed three errors and were called for two double-hits on an 8-2 Warriors run en

route to Western’s second-set win.

“We just didn’t capitalize,” Fluvanna coach Christi Harlowe-Garrett said. “Just didn’t put it away.”

After an emotional first two sets, Western delivered the knockout punch in the third. The Warriors delivered 10 straight points early in the set and Harper delivered four kills as Western rolled to the three-game sweep.

“I didn’t say as much,” Rogers said, “but I think it was understood that it was time to really take control.”

While senior setter Adams had an outstanding night, sophomore Riley Martin matched Adams’ assist output, contributing 10 assists of her own.

“Megan Adams and Riley Martin are excellent,” Harper said. “It’s the same consistency with either one of them – you don’t screw up when one is in more than the other.”

On the Fluvanna side, the attacking duo of Kayla Walker and Mandy Kline combined for 14 kills and three aces. Setter Samantha Toy also had a productive night with 10 assists.

Freshman Hannah Miller also continued to impress Harlowe-Garrett with five kills.

“She’s a freshman, and she comes out and she plays like a senior,”

Harlowe-Garrett said. “She’s a great kid, she’s really coming into her own, and I’m looking for great things from her as the season progresses.”

The Flucos have another big game ahead of them at home Thursday against Monticello, which moved into a second-place tie with Fluvanna with a 3-1 victory over Orange County on Tuesday night. Western looks visits Louisa County on Thursday night.