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Latest Venice Volleyball Venice upsets Leon
Latest Venice Volleyball Venice upsets Leon
Venice upsets Leon
Saturday, 12 September 2009 13:55
Unranked Venice wanted to make a statement against nationally-ranked Tallahassee Leon. Did and done. The Lady Indians got an total team effort to sweep the Lady Lions, 26-24, 25-19, 25-19, on Friday at Venice High.
“Opportunities come along throughout the season and we’ve recognized that this weekend is an opportunity for us to play two nationally-ranked teams,” said Venice coach Brian Wheatley. “A team is a product of what they do over and over again. If we want to be state champs we have to continually do that over and over again.”
“We were trying to make a statement tonight,” said Venice senior setter Taylor Capasso. “Just go out there and worry about what we had to do. If we play our volleyball we are going to beat anyone.”
The first game couldn’t have been any tighter as neither team has more than a two-point lead and the teams were tied 13 times.
Leon, who is ranked No. 73 in the nation by Prepvolleyball.com, led 21-19 after a kill by Taylor Vaughn. However, two consecutive lift violations tied the game at 21-21. Two straight points by the Lady Lions gave Leon a 23-21 advantage. A kill by Jillian Allen and unforced error tied it at 23-23. A block gave Leon game point but the Lady Lions served out of bound for another tie at 24-24. Venice grabbed a a 25-24 lead as Leon hit the ball out of bounds. Venice closed out the first game as Leon hit the ball in the net.
Venice spread the ball around as six different Lady Indians recorded kills in the first game with junior Autumn Duyn leading the way with six kills.
“I thought everyone played outstanding,” said Wheatley. “It was a great team effort. Our outside hitters were phenomenal. Taylor Capasso did a good job of moving the ball around. We did a lot of things really well. You have to do a lot of things really well to beat a nationally-ranked team.”
The second game was tied at 8-8 when Venice scored four straight points with two kills and a block by senior Morgan Shattuck and another kill by Emily Daniels, who finished with 10 kills in the match.
The Lady Lions got within 17-16 but a kills by Duyn, Shattuck and block by Duyn gave Venice a 20-16 cushion. Venice closed it out as Leon committed four unforced errors.
Leon jumped all over Venice in the third game and it looked like the match was going four games.
The Lady Lions had leads of 7-1 and 13-5 before a timeout by Wheatley settled down the Lady Indians.
“I hammered them,” said Wheatley in the timeout. “I told them I am not going to let them give up and we are here to make a statement. There is no better way to make a statement than to win in three (games).
Venice chipped away at the lead and grabbed a 18-17 lead when Brittany Burrows’ serve was misplayed.
At 18-18, the Lady Indians scored three straight points for a 21-18 lead. The Lady Indians ended it with a kills by Duyn and Allen.
“Tonight was determination,” said Wheatley. “Leon is a fantastic program and a great chance we may see them in Lakeland.”
Duyn led Venice with 14 kills. Daniels had 10 kills and 17 digs. Dorothy Rahal finished with 15 digs while Shattuck and Payton Herschberger had six kills each.
The Lady Indians play nationally-ranked Tampa Berkeley Prep at 3 p.m., today at the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome as part of the Tampa Twice volleyball tournament. Two collegiate volleyball matches will be played afterwards with Florida vs. Washington at 6 p.m. and USF vs. Minnesota at 8 p.m. A kids clinic will be held from 9-11 a.m. with players from each team. Three of the four teams are ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll.
