Inside Dobyns-Bennett’s 3-0 District Win at Tennessee

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After warming up with some non-district games, the Dobyns-Bennett Indians and Tennessee Vikings met in Bristol fighting for the crucial, early season district seed victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams gave great efforts trying to come away victories. However, the Indians left with the 3-0 (25-18, 28-26, 25-21) victory. Both teams possess hitters with diverse skill sets. However, Dobyns-Bennett's better ball control made the difference in this one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"It was just a year ago that we were here and we were up 14-9 in the fifth set and we lost," Dobyns-Bennett head coach Katie Helvey said. "So just to come in, take it in three and just to see the grit and determination and togetherness that they put on the court in set two just fueled the fire for set three."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Dobyns-Bennett attack started in the back row with libero [player_tooltip player_id='803020' first='Milly' last='Williams'] with [player_tooltip player_id='805865' first='Jess' last='Harden'] and [player_tooltip player_id='939361' first='Norah' last='Shook'] displaying sound all-around play. [player_tooltip player_id='1021272' first='Madison' last='Sykes'], [player_tooltip player_id='815836' first='Libby' last='Boyles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='960853' first='Kendyl' last='Alley'] also took great swings in the 6-2 off sets from Anna Wackowski and [player_tooltip player_id='960855' first='Reese' last='Hatcher'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='815836' first='Libby' last='Boyles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='960853' first='Kendyl' last='Alley'] took some nice swings for Tennessee from [player_tooltip player_id='953183' first='Emma' last='Jones'] and Piper Smith in the 5-1 Vikings attack. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='953180' first='Emily' last='Curtin'] also had some nice digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>However, Tennessee could not string runs together outside of the second set. The Vikings trailed 23-18 before going on a 6-0 run to go up 24-23. However, Shook finished the set with consecutive kills. Then in the third set, Dobyns-Bennett used a 5-0 run to go up 5-2 and never trail again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams head to Knoxville tomorrow to play in the Showdown at the Sunsphere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stat Leaders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kills</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='939361' first='Norah' last='Shook'], Dobyns-Bennett - 21</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='805865' first='Jess' last='Harden'], Dobyns-Bennett - 12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1021272' first='Madison' last='Sykes'], Dobyns-Bennett - 10</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='815836' first='Libby' last='Boyles'], Tennessee - 6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='960853' first='Kendyl' last='Alley'], Tennessee - 5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Assists</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anna Wackowski, Dobyns-Bennett - 27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='960855' first='Reese' last='Hatcher'], Dobyns-Bennett - 18</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='953183' first='Emma' last='Jones'], Tennessee - 7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Piper Smith, Tennessee - 6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Digs</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='803020' first='Milly' last='Williams'], Dobyns-Bennett - 15</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harden - 9</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shook - 8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith - 7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='953180' first='Emily' last='Curtin'], Tennessee - 6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones - 6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='839753' first='Zoey' last='Phillips']. Tennessee - 5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Piper Hampton. Tennessee - 5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blocks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sykes - 5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Phillips - 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aces</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wackowski - 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Solid Performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["803020"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1021263,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a87d09c99773"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Williams did an outstanding job positioning herself to snag up balls all game. Williams consistently forms walls around balls and puts up concise two to three-point passes. Williams does not hesitate to go down on her knees to get to balls, yet remains under control. Williams also did a good job telling hitters where to place balls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["805865"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a87d28d64781"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harden mainly plays defensive specialist but does swing a good bit on the outside for Dobyns-Bennett. She makes outstanding in-air adjustments and puts across balls with a solid downward trajectory. Harden makes things happen with good spacing away from the net. Harden also takes sound swings from the back row. Harden makes the simple passes on defense and uses her great range to track down a number of balls under control.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["939361"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a87d28d6481d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Shook provided great all-around play and all the little things she did led to the huge win for the Indians. Shook makes crisp first touches and takes hard swings from the middle and pins. She finished off the second set with a hard swing and tip kill. Shook uses her off (left) hand to tip balls and throw off opponents. Shook also takes sound out of system swings. Shook puts across a sizzling jump serve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":1021272,"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1021273,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a87d408bf910"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sykes played a huge role with her net defense. She denied a number of hard ones with her aggressive blocking. Sykes has good form and times balls with precision. Sykes took a lot of great swings from the middle. She often got up before blocks could form and sent balls screaming to the floor. Sykes said she's worked on diversifying her shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["815836"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a87d5694fd65"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Boyles did a good job influencing the net. She has nice out of system swings. Boyles attacks seams with precision and does a good job locating balls on ones. Boyles also mixes in nice off shots. Boyles tools blocks and can even send over back sets to the shallow four zones to catch opponents by surprise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["953183"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a87d60d05086"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jones put a number of sets on target in the loss for the Vikings. Jones consistently finds the hot hitters and has smooth touch on her sets. Her serving kept Dobyns-Bennett out of system and allowed the Vikings to rally back to tie the game in the second set. Jones also makes plays on defense showing off her versatility.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for two years and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigkentucky/#">prepdigkentucky</a>, @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigtennessee/#">prepdigtennessee</a>&nbsp;or @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigoh/#">prepdigoh</a>&nbsp;on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy, @PrepDigTN or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky, Tennessee or Ohio needs coverage or even have feedback on the Kentucky or Tennessee rankings, please email Mike at michaelgraham@prepdig.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham. Subscriptions give you access to exclusive content. For a 30% discount on yearly subscriptions, enter code graham30 at checkout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->