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All Saints, Victory Christian Advance to Class 2A Volleyball Semifinals

Wed. October 31, 2012 at 2:57 a.m. | By Polk Preps Staff


BY LISA COFFEY

THE LEDGER



WINTER HAVEN | Both All Saints' Academy and Victory Christian recorded firsts on Tuesday in the Class 2A regional quarterfinals.

Victories by both teams made school history as both avenged losses to advance further in the playoffs than they ever have.

The Saints (18-10) defeated Bayshore Christian Academy 25-21, 25-16, 21-25 and 25-19 at home.

Their district title over Victory last week was their first in 13 years. All Saints opened in opened in 1994.

Victory (16-12) topped Cambridge Christian of Tampa on the road 19-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-22 and 15-9.

History will come to and end for one local team on Nov. 6 as the two meet again at All Saints' Academy in the regional semifinals.

"We definitely have some drive and motivation," Victory coach Melody Tenney said. "We're a rival regardless. The girls wanted All Saints to win."

The young Saints, with three freshmen, an eighth grader and a seventh grader in a slightly changed starting lineup, faltered slightly in losing a close third game against a team that ended their season in 2011.

"We all kind of started freaking out," said All Saints' Taylor Ashcraft of the third set.

But they recovered.

"You have to know there are always more games," she said.

Ashcraft finished with 27 kills. Freshman Anna Holt chipped in 14 kills.

Freshman setter Tchele Thomas posted 28 assists.

Sophomore Melanie Rex recorded seven kills.

Brigetta Truitt and Holt were kill-stopping forces on the back row.

The Storm kept fighting following a slow start to avenge a loss to Cambridge, which sent them home at the same playoff juncture in 2011.

"They didn't get discouraged and played as hard as they could," Tenney said. "They were just deter­mined."

Junior Carey Jenkins led the Storm with 29 assists, four kills and three aces.

Junior Destinee Pierce scored six kills.

Senior Brittany Nelson posted five kills and six blocks, senior Jessica Drewry added eight kills and freshman Emily Carson tallied five kills.

Sophomore Abbie Carson had six aces and freshman Taylor Brent served up four aces.