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Sebring Advances To Volleyball Semis

Jesse Osbourne/Highlands Today

Sebring coach Venessa Sinness and her team enjoy a light moment during Monday night’s win over Sarasota Booker.

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By Brian Gjurgevich | Highlands Today

Published: October 24, 2007

SEBRING — Ashley Waldon isn't hesitating, and the Sebring volleyball team isn't slowing down for anyone.

The senior setter, making her first start since an on-court collision with teammate Anna West sidelined her for the remainder of the regular season, got her bearings back while Sebring got back on track, as the Streaks cruised to a 25-9, 25-6, 25-8 victory over Booker in the opening match of the Class 4A-District 10 volleyball tournament at SHS.

"I was definitely a little bit scared when I came back against Lake Placid," said Waldon, who played the final two sets of Sebring's last match of the regular season, a three-set loss to the Class 3A Green Dragons. "Tonight, I just tried to play my game. I didn't hesitate, I was just trying to get the jitters out."

Junior Hannah Shoop had seven kills and six assists and junior Molly Blackman added four more kills to lead the second-seeded Streaks, who face the winner of Tuesday night's match between Braden River and Hardee, tonight at 6 p.m.

"Everything was on," said Shoop, who also added six aces. "We knew we had to keep working, because if we got down and played at a lower level, that might stick with us the rest of the tournament. But we were focused and everything was clicking."

Sophomore setter Brittanie Augustine had nine aces, senior Rachel Ashley had six aces and junior Samantha Lower had five more against a Tornado squad that had problems with serve-receive all night.

Sebring coach Venessa Sinness said her team expected to play well against Booker — a young squad the Streaks shut out 25-0 in a game earlier this season — but the road to victory will likely be a bit bumpier in the tournament's second round.

"We'll definitely need to step it up for the next game," she said. "Every time out, I was telling them to keep up their intensity and do all the little things right, because this isn't who we'll be playing next time around."

The Streaks had no trouble getting started in the opening set, jumping out to a 13-2 lead on the strength of five early aces by Shoop. They'd win 12 of the next 17 points to take the first set and repeat their performance in the second set, winning its final 16 points to take a two-game advantage.

Still, despite allowing only 15 points over the first two sets, Waldon said the Streaks can do better.
"This is not the level we want to play at," she said. "We slowed everything down because we knew we could. Next time we play, we have to make sure we transition quickly, that we're talking and our passers are good."

The Streaks kept their foot on the pedal in the third set, jumping out to a 16-5 lead and closing out the match with five aces by Lower.

"I just tried to zero-in on one point in the court," she said. "We've been practicing hard, and I think we're ready for this."

Booker didn't record a kill in the match, but did get an ace from junior Tiffany Corbitt. The Tornadoes, who were winless in district play this season, return all but one of their players next year.
The Streaks, meanwhile, are hoping to take the next step and set up a showdown with district powerhouse DeSoto in the tournament final.

"This is the first step," the veteran Sebring coach said. "With all the injuries we've had, it feels like we're starting all over again."

The same goes for Waldon, who said she's looking forward to getting back to her old self.
"When we played at a tournament and against DeSoto last time, I had to sit and watch from the bench," she said. "I couldn't do anything, and that was tough. It just feels good to get back to my normal routine."

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