By NOAH FEIT
AIKEN 3, LEXINGTON 0
When the Aiken High School volleyball team played host to Lexington on Tuesday, more than first place in region 5-AAAA was on the line. The Hornets were out for revenge, having lost a non-region match against the Wildcats at the Sumter Invitational less than two weeks ago.
"They called it the redemption match," Aiken coach Malynda Young said of her players' approach to the first region showdown with Lexington this season.
The Hornets avenged the earlier setback with a hard-earned sweep, defeating the Wildcats 25-22, 25-20, 25-22. That improved Aiken's record on the season to 11-4 and a perfect 3-0 in region play. In the most recent South Carolina High School Volleyball Coaches poll, Aiken was ranked fifth in Class AAAA, and Lexington was No. 7.
"That was a huge win for us," said Young, who added that an adjustment in her lineup made a big difference in the win. "I was trying to get the big hitters and get blocking up front."
The strategic move paid off, as the Hornets were able to pull away late in each of the games to clinch the victory. They were at their best when All-State selection and reigning Region 5-AAAA Player of the Year Natasha Dicks was attacking the net with fellow senior Tyler Smith.
The upperclassmen, who are holdovers from the squad that won the state title two years ago and returned to the championship match last season, have established themselves as some of the most fearsome power hitters in South Carolina. This season, they've had to show they're more than big hitters, displaying well-rounded games to keep the Hornets among the state's elite.
"They've really stepped up," Young said. "They're taking most of the digs on the team. They're getting everything, and I've been really proud."
Dicks finished the match with 14 kills and 11 digs while Smith contributed seven kills and 11 digs of her own.
They have had to do more because Aiken is playing without Anna Tovo, a junior Young described as the best all-around player in the state. Tovo is still recovering from surgery on her ACL and meniscus - performed May 1 - and the all-state selection won't be available until late October at the earliest.
"It's tough when you've got an all-stater on the bench," said Young, who had to overcome the loss of several key seniors from last year's squad.
In their absence, other players have stepped forward to become contributors. Emily Teelon has been one of the key cogs for Aiken this season. Against Lexington (9-4-1, 2-1) the junior setter had 31 assists, nine digs and four aces. Sophomore outside hitter Olivia Fiscus has also entrenched herself in the rotation and showed why with five kills, five digs and three aces.
Being versatile is a necessity for Aiken, which only has nine players on the varsity roster without Tovo. That means players have to make the most of any scoring opportunity, even if it's a shot from a fair distance behind the net. Many of Dicks and Smith's kill attempts were of the mid-range variety, opposed to point-blank spikes.
Not all of the shots were on target, with several spraying out of bounds. But when they were accurate with their hitting was when Aiken enjoyed its greatest success and was able to pull away from Lexington.
"We worked on that a lot (Monday). We worked on hitting lines, cross court and hitting deep," Young said, adding that her team is a work in progress in spite of its position on top of the region standings. "We're growing and working on communication. Each game I see a little more and we're growing as a team."
Young said her next challenge will be to keep her squad focused after the emotional sweep of the Wildcats. Up next for the Hornets is a Thursday trip to North Augusta, where they'll face another tough region rival.
"North Augusta is tough," Young said of the 8-4 team. "It's going to be a real challenge. … I have to settle them down."
Noah Feit is the Sports Editor for the Aiken Standard and has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years after graduating from Syracuse University.![]()
AIKEN 3, LEXINGTON 0
When the Aiken High School volleyball team played host to Lexington on Tuesday, more than first place in region 5-AAAA was on the line. The Hornets were out for revenge, having lost a non-region match against the Wildcats at the Sumter Invitational less than two weeks ago.
"They called it the redemption match," Aiken coach Malynda Young said of her players' approach to the first region showdown with Lexington this season.
The Hornets avenged the earlier setback with a hard-earned sweep, defeating the Wildcats 25-22, 25-20, 25-22. That improved Aiken's record on the season to 11-4 and a perfect 3-0 in region play. In the most recent South Carolina High School Volleyball Coaches poll, Aiken was ranked fifth in Class AAAA, and Lexington was No. 7.
"That was a huge win for us," said Young, who added that an adjustment in her lineup made a big difference in the win. "I was trying to get the big hitters and get blocking up front."
The strategic move paid off, as the Hornets were able to pull away late in each of the games to clinch the victory. They were at their best when All-State selection and reigning Region 5-AAAA Player of the Year Natasha Dicks was attacking the net with fellow senior Tyler Smith.
The upperclassmen, who are holdovers from the squad that won the state title two years ago and returned to the championship match last season, have established themselves as some of the most fearsome power hitters in South Carolina. This season, they've had to show they're more than big hitters, displaying well-rounded games to keep the Hornets among the state's elite.
"They've really stepped up," Young said. "They're taking most of the digs on the team. They're getting everything, and I've been really proud."
Dicks finished the match with 14 kills and 11 digs while Smith contributed seven kills and 11 digs of her own.
They have had to do more because Aiken is playing without Anna Tovo, a junior Young described as the best all-around player in the state. Tovo is still recovering from surgery on her ACL and meniscus - performed May 1 - and the all-state selection won't be available until late October at the earliest.
"It's tough when you've got an all-stater on the bench," said Young, who had to overcome the loss of several key seniors from last year's squad.
In their absence, other players have stepped forward to become contributors. Emily Teelon has been one of the key cogs for Aiken this season. Against Lexington (9-4-1, 2-1) the junior setter had 31 assists, nine digs and four aces. Sophomore outside hitter Olivia Fiscus has also entrenched herself in the rotation and showed why with five kills, five digs and three aces.
Being versatile is a necessity for Aiken, which only has nine players on the varsity roster without Tovo. That means players have to make the most of any scoring opportunity, even if it's a shot from a fair distance behind the net. Many of Dicks and Smith's kill attempts were of the mid-range variety, opposed to point-blank spikes.
Not all of the shots were on target, with several spraying out of bounds. But when they were accurate with their hitting was when Aiken enjoyed its greatest success and was able to pull away from Lexington.
"We worked on that a lot (Monday). We worked on hitting lines, cross court and hitting deep," Young said, adding that her team is a work in progress in spite of its position on top of the region standings. "We're growing and working on communication. Each game I see a little more and we're growing as a team."
Young said her next challenge will be to keep her squad focused after the emotional sweep of the Wildcats. Up next for the Hornets is a Thursday trip to North Augusta, where they'll face another tough region rival.
"North Augusta is tough," Young said of the 8-4 team. "It's going to be a real challenge. … I have to settle them down."
Noah Feit is the Sports Editor for the Aiken Standard and has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years after graduating from Syracuse University.