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LP Volleyball Secures First-Ever Sweep Of Sebring

Jesse Osbourne/Highlands Today

Sebring's Lynsey Cleghorn (7) and Rachel Ashley (3) try to block a spike by Lake Placid's Sierra Weaver (11) during Tuesday night's match.

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By Brian Gjurgevich | Highlands Today

Published: October 18, 2007

LAKE PLACID — After a disheartening loss to Avon Park the previous evening, Lake Placid volleyball coach Marilyn Jones called a rare gameday practice on Tuesday to ensure her team wouldn't make similar mistakes against Sebring.

The Green Dragons responded by making history.
Kristen Massung and Sierra Weaver each had eight kills and Darby Underwood had two aces to lead Lake Placid to its first ever season-sweep of Sebring with a 25-18, 25-20, 25-16 dismantling of the Blue Streaks, who lost to LP in five sets earlier this season.

"It was annoying," Massung said. "Last year, they were the only (regular-season) team that beat us. Yesterday motivated us a lot, and we were more of a team tonight."

Jones said she'd hoped the gameday practice session would put the spring back in the Dragons' step after LP sluggishly allowed Avon Park to rally back from game point in two games to earn a three-set victory on Monday.

She added her Dragons — who host the Class 3A-District 10 tournament next week — often define their season by how well they play against Sebring, and the extra time on the floor helped the team put things into focus heading in to its final regular-season match.

"We had them moving and working on covering," Jones said. "Everyone was there, everyone was ready and everyone was positive. It was emotional win — Sebring is one of those teams where if you beat them, you have to feel good."

Weaver agreed, noting Sebring always brings out Lake Placid's best effort.
"We love playing against a tough team like that," she said. "You work harder on the floor and that makes you want it more."

Rachel Ashley had six kills and Hannah Shoop and Lynsey Cleghorn each added four kills to pace the Streaks, who welcomed back setter Ashley Waldon after the senior missed more than two weeks after an on-court collision with freshman Anna West sent both to the hospital.

While West returns to practice this week, Sebring coach Venessa Sinness hopes her team can return to the form that led them to a second-place finish in the regular-season Class 4A-District 10 race.
"We didn't cover or serve-receive well and we never transitioned all night long," Sinness said, noting the Dragons played with emotion and did a good job using their blocks. "If you're not going to transition or play defense, you'll get beat every time against a team like that."

Lake Placid won the final six points of the first set and the final seven points of the deciding third, displaying an ability to close Jones said is one of the many encouraging signs she sees as the Dragons head into districts.

"They weren't giving up on anything and they weren't flat," she said, adding her team had finally "gelled."
"They were pumped and the really crowd helped us. There were football players, parents, old and young kids, and they weren't rude. I think if we can pull that kind of support together for districts, it would be awesome."

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