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DeSoto Wins In Volleyball, Despite AP's Strong Finish

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Avon Park's Missy Lander digs for the ball as Melissa Tulio looks on during Thursday's match against rival DeSoto.

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Brian Gjurgevich

Published: September 29, 2007

AVON PARK – Her team lost its first set by 19 points and were swept clean on their home floor, but that wasn't enough to take the smile off Deija Barrett's face.

"We came together in the second game," said the smiling junior after defending Class 4A-District champion DeSoto cruised past the Avon Park volleyball team 25-6, 25-18, 25-16 on Thursday night. "They're a really good team, and I'm proud of my team for coming back and not giving up."

Indeed, after the Bulldogs made a statement in the opening set of the match, it was the Red Devils who responded, tripling their point total in game two and nearly stealing a set from the powerful DeSoto squad.

Bulldog junior Brittany Muse had 11 kills and junior Jodi Vessels had four aces in the final set to lead DeSoto, which completed a regular season sweep of AP.

"We communicated well," Muse said. "There was a lot of talking out there, and it worked out well."
After the Bulldogs barked and bit their way to a opening-set romp by winning 10 of the last 12 points, the Devils made a game of it in the second set, pulling within six points late but eventually falling 25-18.

The third set went much the same way, with the Red Devils weathering the powerful DeSoto storm but eventually falling 25-16.

Despite the loss, Avon Park coach Christy Hipps said she couldn't be happier with her team's effort.
"They were busting their butts getting to the ball," Hipps said. "If you get out there and play hard from beginning to end, you can always have a good attitude at the end of the game. If you work hard enough, you can be happy no matter what happens."

Barrett and junior Melissa Tulio had two kills and an ace each to lead the Red Devils, who travel to Sarasota Booker on Tuesday.

"We know what we need to work on in practice, but we need to figure out how to bring that to the games," said AP's Missy Lander, who twice brought the crowd to its feet with diving digs into the stands. "We're good in practice, but when we get to the game, it's different. We need to figure out how to make it all translate."

Barrett agreed.
"We learned a lot from this match," she said. "We're learning how to read offenses and work on our own transitions. And as long as we play together, we'll be strong."

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