Tullio's Clutch Serving Lifts AP To Sweep Over LP

AVON PARK - Melissa Tullo hasn't been happy with her serving all season long.
That is, of course, until Monday night.

The junior outside hitter's three clutch aces late in the third set rallied the Avon Park volleyball team to a third-game victory and sweep of Lake Placid, 25-19, 26-24, 25-23, giving the Red Devils a dose of much-needed momentum heading into next week's Class 2A-District 4 tournament in Sebring.

"I don't know why, but I haven't been able to get anything in lately," said Tullo, who stepped up to the service line with her team down 23-22 and proceeded to seal the victory with three straight lasers over the net. "But this was our last home game of the year, so I was feeling more confident. It was amazing."

As was the pace of the action between the Highlands County inter-class rivals: After the Red Devils stormed to a first-set victory on the strength of two kills and two aces apiece from seniors Missy Lander and Kelly Bass, the second set went to extra points, with Lake Placid battling back from an early deficit to make a match out of it.

Kristen Massung and Sierra Weaver each had eight kills each on the night to pace to Green Dragons, who took an 11-8 lead after dropping the first six points of the second set. But AP responded on its home floor, getting four game-two kills from Lander and winning the final four points of the second set to take a 2-0 lead.

"We've been needing a win like this for a while now," said Lander, whose six kills and two aces were flanked by Deija Barrett's eight kills and Bass' five kills and four aces. "It's a great feeling to beat them, but we still need to work on our serving before districts."

The Red Devils - the No. 4 seed in the district playoffs - take on Palmetto at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
"It's always good to get a win like this before districts," said AP coach Christy Hipps. "I really think they just came out and played with teamwork, hustled and called out every ball. That really counts in the end when you're out there hustling and communicating."

LP coach Marilyn Jones said her team - which already owns the top seed in their district - simply came out flat and let Avon Park take too big of a lead.

"It seemed like Avon Park was more ready for this one," said Jones, whose club welcomed Sebring to its home floor tonight. "This is our third regular season loss, and they've come back before and fought really hard from losses. Hopefully, this will help them realize what they need to do, and it should fire them up a little."