Licking Heights Hornets volleyball team beats Granville
Highlights: Licking Heights Volleyball beats Granville in five sets
Licking Heights defeated Granville 15-13 in the fifth set on Thursday.
GRANVILLE – The Licking Heights volleyball team experienced an electrifying moment Thursday at the end of a challenging first week.
Heights needed the support of its five seniors, one freshman and everyone in between to pull out a 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 14-25 and 15-13 victory in Granville. The Hornets survived the Blue Aces’ frenetic comeback to win an early battle between last season’s Licking County League and Buckeye Division co-champions.
“Our last few games have been up and down in energy, and at practice we’ve talked about staying positive for ourselves and each other,” said Layne Bodie of Licking Heights. “It’s important to encourage the (underclassmen) because they’re filling big shoes, but they’re doing great in that role.”
Without standout sophomore Brooklyn Hall, Heights (2-4, 1-1) lost to Thomas Worthington and New Albany in a season-opening four-game series last Saturday, and the Hornets lost to perennial powerhouses Bishop Watterson and Newark Catholic earlier this week. The tide has finally turned.
The fifth set was tied at 12-12 and 13-13 before the final point was scored on a tip by junior Reagan Crozier after a block by freshman AJ Milhon. Crozier also closed the first set with a kill, and senior Sheila Waruingi’s ace capped a four-point run and stole the second set from the Hornets.
“We have just shown that it is not about ability, but about attitude and mutual trust,” said Waruingi.
Granville (1-3, 1-1) was trying to turn the tables after blowing a 2-0 lead in its opening loss to Bishop Hartley. An ace from senior Olivia Priano closed the third set and turned the momentum as she immediately served the first seven points of a dominant fourth set.
The Blue Aces then fought back from a 5-1 deficit in the fifth set when junior Melia Teter and sophomores Makayla Smith and Elle Mortimer each hit an ace. However, a few unforced errors opened the door for Heights
“We have to learn to play consistently,” said Granville coach Lauren Moore, who moved up in the program to replace former coach Courtney Ruppert. “We’ve proven we can play really, really well. Sometimes it’s at the beginning of the game and sometimes it’s at the end of the game.”
Much of Heights’ success came from the strength of his serve. Sophomore Kierston Jones totaled five aces in the match, and she, senior Ava VonBargen, third-year Aubrey Collins and sophomore Kameron Erskine each had aces in the first set.
When the ball returned over the net, big swings from Bodie and Waruingi made life easy for new setters Collins and Erskine. Bodie led a balanced attack with 13 kills, and experienced Lydia Rauch managed five kills from the right side, including two in the decisive fifth set.
“We have to build that chemistry in training,” Waruingi said. “Everything happens in training. You can’t just be lazy in training. You always have to start from the beginning and improve.”
Granville’s experience is in the back row, with senior liberos Raegan Schmidt and Maia Helling joining Priano. Sophomore Elle Mortimer led Granville’s front line with 15 total kills and three blocks, while Smith and juniors Makenna Watson and Mylee King contributed strong performances, balanced by sophomore Cassie Becker and junior Emma Gulledge.
Senior MJ Miller also returns to the offense, but the Blue Aces are missing injured senior Miho Gillespie in this rotation.
“We usually live off adrenaline when our backs are against the wall,” Moore said. “We have to learn to bring that regardless of what the other team is doing.”
Thursday’s rollercoaster ride could be a microcosm of the LCL Buckeye race. A year ago, the Hornets and Blue Aces were tied with four losses, and all six teams have already suffered a loss in the first week of the season.
Heights coach Tara Stout emphasized perseverance and belief in her Hornets.
“I’ve been telling them over and over again for the last two and a half weeks how good they can be and that they just have to believe in themselves,” Stout said. “When we sat in the lineup at the end of the game, I said, ‘Now you know what you’re capable of.’ We have a good chance.”
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