TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Sebring Sweeps AP In Volleyball

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Sebring’s Hannah Shoop (43) is met at the net by Avon Park defenders Nataly Berrios (10) and Daija Barrett (7) during Tuesday’s showdown.

ADVERTISEMENT

Brian Gjurgevich

Published: September 27, 2007

SEBRING — Hannah Shoop wishes every meeting with Avon Park went like this.

The junior middle defender had a team-high eight kills to lead the Sebring volleyball team to a 25-21, 25-20, 25-15 straight-set victory over arch-rival Avon Park, a far cry from the Class 4A-District 10 foes' meeting earlier this season, which went the full five sets.

"We really cemented everything, and tonight we came together like a team," said Shoop, who was flanked by senior setter Ashley Waldon's 29 assists and two aces. "We've been up games in the past and let our lead slip, but this time, we stayed with it."

Avon Park junior Daija Barrett had eight kills to pace the Red Devils, who couldn't recover from a tough second-set loss in front of an enthusiastic Sebring crowd.

AP coach Christy Hipps said she was pleased with her team's effort, though too many unforced miscues swung the momentum too far toward the Streaks.

"We just made too many errors and helped them out too much," Hipps said. "But at the end of the match, as long as we played hard, it's OK if we make mistakes."

The first set was tied at 20 late before an emphatic kill by Sebring junior Molly Blackman spurred the Blue Streaks to winning five of the final six points and taking the first set. Sebring pulled off the same feat in the second set, getting two kills from freshman middle blocker Anna West and winning five of the final six points for a second-set victory and 2-0 game advantage.

Blackman said her team has had trouble maintaining composure after winning opening sets this season, but in this match at least, the Streaks weren't about to let the Red Devils sneak back into contention.

"We get so fired up in the first game, sometimes we have a letdown and let teams back in it," said Blackman, who finished with five kills. "We're used to being on a roller-coaster, but tonight, we really all stayed on the same plateau."

Sebring picked up where it left off in the third set, winning the first six points and jumping out to a 9-1 lead on their way to a 10-point, match-clinching victory. Blue Streak coach Venessa Sinness said her girls showed the level of consistency she's been looking for all season, and their defense and serve-receive was right where she'd like it to be.

"Tonight, for the first time all year, we played from point 1 to point 25," Sinness said. "We definitely showed what we can do when we play with chemistry.

"We have more individual talent on this team than I've ever had here, but none of that matters if the girls don't play together."

Avon Park's Melissa Tulio, who had one kill and one ace, said the Red Devils need to do a better job communicating and staying light on their feet.

"(Sebring) did a good job putting it in spots we weren't and moving around on defense," the junior outside hitter said. "We need to move around the floor better."

Avon Park hosts DeSoto at 7:30 p.m. today while Sebring hosts Sarasota-Booker today at 5:30.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT