Baylor Wins First Match In State Volleyball

Lady Red Raiders Now 35-9 Following 3-1 Win Over Father Ryan

  • Tuesday, October 16, 2018
  • John Hunt

MURFREESBORO – The first match of the 2018 TSSAA State Volleyball Tournament is in the books for the Baylor Lady Red Raiders.

The defending Division II, Class AA state champs defeated Father Ryan for the third time this season, Tueday’s match by a 3-1 final at Blackman High School.

Wednesday's second match at Siegel High School will be against the Briarcrest Saints, who improved to 38-2 with its 3-0 win over Harpeth Hall.  Baylor lost to the Lady Saints earlier this season in a tournament, but it will be a rematch of the last two state finals.

Baylor won the first set 25-15 before the Lady Irish evened the score with a 25-22 victory in the second set.  Baylor then won the third and fourth sets by scores of 25-19 and 25-20.

Baylor coach Sarah Lail, perhaps the most serious coach in the business when her team is playing, could finally take a deep breath and relax after her girls improved to 35-9 on the season.

“I thought we played well for the most part, although we made way too many errors in that second set.  We gave them too many balls they were able to capitalize on, but Father Ryan is a well-coached team and they’re always scrappy,” she expressed after a quick chat with her girls.

“I thought our passing was pretty good and that enabled us to run our offense.  We were able to play together and spread our offense to keep from being too one dimensional.  I’m just glad we don’t have to play again today as a match like that completely drains them and me both physically and emotionally.

“I’m just glad to get this first match behind us,” Lail added.

Sophomore Elaine Redman had to be a spectator last year after transferring from Signal Mountain.  She’s been an integral part of Baylor’s success and had a season-high 50 assists against Father Ryan in addition to eight digs, three aces, three kills and a block.

“I think that was the best we’ve passed all season.  Those first two sets were pretty intense, but the momentum was in our favor after the third set and we were able to close it out,” the slender, 15-year-old expressed.

Ally Craig is one of four Baylor seniors playing her final high school tournament.  She had a match-high 20 kills and 10 digs.

She also had three aces, two of which gave the Lady Red Raiders their first lead in the first set at 9-7.

Father Ryan got within a point at 9-8, but never any closer as Baylor continued to stretch the lead, claiming the first set on a kill from Denver Rogers.

A kill from Sarah Barker gave Baylor a 1-0 lead in the second set, but the Lady Irish scored the next five points and never trailed again.

Baylor was within a point at 23-22, but back-to-back errors gave the set to Father Ryan to even the score at 1-1.

Kate Hoots had a kill to give Father Ryan an early 1-0 lead in the third set, but back-to-back kills from Rogers and Barker turned the tide Baylor’s way and they never trailed again.

The Lady Irish had the upper hand for the first half of the fourth set with their biggest lead at 11-7 following a kill from Lauren Ballard.

Baylor knotted the score at 12-12 on a kill from Craig.  Hoots had a kill to give the team from Nashville a tie at 18-18, but Baylor settled down and won the match by scoring seven of the final nine points, including the match-winner on a kill from Redman.

Craig led the Baylor attack with her double-double while Laura Kate May had 17 digs.  Rogers was also effective with 13 kills and eight digs while Barker had five blocks to go with her eight kills.

Father Ryan is now 22-12 following the loss to Baylor.

BAYLOR STATS:

Sarah Barker – 8 kills, 5 blocks

Elizabeth Case – 2 aces, 2 kills, 4 blocks, 2 digs

Hayden Barton – 10 digs

Ally Craig – 3 aces, 20 kills, 3 blocks, 10 digs

Laura Kate May – 17 digs

Denver Rogers – 13 kills, 4 blocks, 8 digs

Emoree Rogers – 1 ace

Elaine Redman – 3 aces, 3 kills, 1 block, 50 assists, 8 digs

Sierra Herndon – 4 kills, 4 blocks.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

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