By Duncan Nixon
The Fluvanna County volleyball team swept the Orange County Hornets three games to none at home on Oct. 15.
When a volleyball team wins three-nothing, it often means the teams weren’t evenly matched. In this case, the Flucos were clearly the stronger team, but the Hornets put up strong resistance to what seemed like an inevitable outcome.
Fluvanna won the opening game 25-20 as the Hornets closed a seven-point gap to 15-8, then to only three points at 19-16. MaryAlyce Kidd recorded two service aces to regain a six-point lead, 22-16. Sophomore Sydney Gentry served the winning point for the Flucos.
The Flucos started slowly in the second game. They bounced back to take an 8-6 lead, but the Hornets surged to a six-point lead, 19-13, despite several impressive kill shots by the Flucos.
The Flucos’ sophomore Norah Ferrell took over the serve and the Flucos cut the lead to four at 17-21. Usually, the first team to 20 wins in games to 25 wins by two. In this game, senior Alyssa Lewis kept that from happening. Lewis tied the score at 22-22 while serving. The score went to 23-23, and the Flucos scored on a block at the net and a kill shot to win 25-23.
In the third game, the Flucos started slowly again, losing four of the first five points. With Ferrell serving, the Flucos came back to tie the score at 8-8. The teams split the next ten points, 13-13. With junior Grace Davis serving, the Flucos scored three consecutive points. The Hornets responded with three quick points to tie 16-16. Lewis’s kill shot put the Flucos up by two. Ferrell took over service with the Flucos leading 19-17, and the Flucos scored six straight points to win 25-17 and end the match.
After the match, Coach Aimee McCall noted that the Hornets were much improved from earlier in the season. However, the Flucos are a strong, deep team and were not about to lose, as the Hornets simply weren’t going to win three games against them.
The Flucos are now 15-5 overall and are second in the Jefferson District. The Flucos played at Monticello High on Oct. 20 and will play at Albemarle High on Oct. 22. Their final two regular-season games will be at home against Charlottesville and at Western Albemarle on Oct. 27 and 29.
