Flint Hill Sweeps Colgan in Battle for Number One

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most coaches will tell you that volleyball is a serve/receive game. Those teams with the best servers and passers will reign supreme. Those teams with the best hitters will wilt on the vine, never getting an opportunity to show their stuff if the passing is not there. On Friday night Flint Hill served and passed their way to a sweep of Colgan. They have still gone the year without losing a set. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You got the sense that this game meant something with four officials at the match, two lines judges, an up ref and a down ref. They usually save that combination for a playoff game. While this was not a playoff game, it was a battle between two teams that would see one of them take over the number one spot with a win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Colgan started out strong in the first game, jumping out to an early 19-15 lead. Excellent defensive plays by libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='207594' first='Paula' last='Sigurani']</strong> and setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231633' first='Alexis' last='Scipione']</strong> and a big block by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209790' first='Aubrey' last='Hatch'] </strong>on a <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180295' first='Ryla' last='Jones']</strong> swing fueled the Sharks fire.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It did not last long. That is when <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181099' first='Sydney' last='Bryant']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238358' first='Evie' last='Huang']</strong> took over with their serves. Sydney had two kills and an ace to pull Flint Hill to within one 19-18. Evie got the serve after a sideout tied the score at 20-20. She did not get any aces with her serves, but three balls were passed far behind the ten foot line and after free balls went over the net <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233010' first='Mickhaila' last='Murray'] </strong>finished it off with two roll shots and a kill. Evie also had two digs on <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209790' first='Aubrey' last='Hatch']</strong> spikes and the five points to end the game were achieved to give the Huskies the 25-20 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game two saw Alexis chasing passes all over the court, taking Colgan's middles <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181185' first='Brielle' last='Kemavor']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231670' first='Grace' last='Smith'] </strong>out of the game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181232' first='Renee' last='Jones'] </strong>barreled two big hits and even used her hands to let fly a beautiful set that resulted in a kill. Murray got many of her team leading 15 kills during the second game that was won by Flint Hill 25-12. Colgan was never in the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Down two sets to zero game three saw Colgan bounce back, even building up another lead towards the middle of the game. Three <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181099' first='Sydney' last='Bryant'] </strong>aces coughed up that lead and Flint Hill went on to win the third set 25-19. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238358' first='Evie' last='Huang'] </strong>always seemed to be in the right spot on a <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209790' first='Aubrey' last='Hatch']</strong> kill attempt, coming up with 23 digs, or almost 8 digs per set. She is also able to take deep serves with her hands, which allows her to play a little shallower in serve receive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Flint Hill ended the game with 16 more kills than Colgan even though Colgan had more attempts. Most of the Colgan swings came from sets that were started five feet beyond the ten foot line. Colgan hopes to improve on that passing now that the public school divisional playoffs begin. The good news is they will not have to face the bullets that Flint Hill served up throughout the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chesapeake Chirps:</strong> Colgan frosh <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='238593' first='Tehillah' last='Garrison'] </strong>got to play all of game two and three hitting from the right side. She finished the game with three kills....<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233010' first='Mickhaila' last='Murray'] </strong>disguises her roll shots well. Whether she is swinging hard or soft with the roll shot the approach and arm swing appears to be the same. She also knows where to place the ball while showing great exuberance on the court when the ball hits the floor. That exuberance energizes her teammates, always keeping them in the game. Flint Hill will be a tough team to beat....Another difference in the game was the difficulty <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231633' first='Alexis' last='Scipione']</strong> had hitting <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181185' first='Brielle' last='Kemavor'] </strong>on the quick sets. The passing was not ideal to run quicks but Alexis tried to force some balls to Brielle. Brielle finished with just seven kills, most of them on tips. She leads her team in kills so when the passing is not there to set the middle Colgan struggles to find an offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->