Fort sweeps Lee

By Josh Laprevotte Correspondent
Published: September 25, 2008

STAUNTON - Fort Defiance powered its way through the Robert E. Lee volleyball team sweeping 25-6, 25-19 and 25-17.

From the opening serve Fort dominated on all aspects of the game. It was able to put the Lee Ladies in such a big hole early that there was little chance for Lee to come back.

With the score still close at 6-4, Fort rolled off 10 straight points from kills by Kayla Pleskonko and Becca Houff. The Lee Ladies were unable to get anything going as they continued to make critical mistakes that gave the Indians point after point.

Fort continued to plow on the points and eventually was able to route the Lee Ladies in Game 1 by a score of 25-6.

“They played one of the best first games I’ve ever seen them play,” said Fort coach Lynn Alexander. “We have been coming out sluggish in the first games this season. They wanted to focus on coming out strong from the very beginning.”

In the second game the Indians went straight back to their all out attack mode. Two kills from Houff gave the Indians an early lead but a few errors put the Lee Ladies right back into contention.

With the score 16-12 in favor of the Indians the Lee Ladies put up an attack at the net with a kill and a block by Kendra Scott.

The Indians would have none of the Lee Ladies’ rally as they put together their own run to win the second game on aces by Tiffany Lockridge and Jordan Leake.

With the Indians up 2-0 on the Lee Ladies, the third took a bit of a different turn with Lee coming out with the early lead.

Lee couldn’t keep up their early success as Fort pounded off four points on blocks by Pleskonko and Katie Dunsmore. Fort went on a run going up 12-7, but Lee would not give up hope as it came rolling back to even up the score 14-14 on a big block from Scott. With the score tied up Lee would take the lead one last time on an ace from Hanna Truxell.

“I think our team played well. I am glad we finished in three,” said Pleskonko. “That first game was big for us.”

Fort would not budge an inch as they were able to score 11 of the next 13 points to defeat the Lee Ladies in three games.

Houff lead the Indians in kills with 10. Jessica Clifton had 12 digs and Leake added 17 assists. The Lee Ladies were lead in kills and blocks by Scott. Diandra Anderson added 17 digs in the losing effort.

Lee coach Ruth Shaia thought her girls played well after a disappointing first game.

“I was really impressed by the way they picked themselves up,” Shaia said. “Our serving wasn’t so great tonight and that’s something we’ve got to improve on.”

Shaia says that her team has gone through so many changes that she thinks it is affecting her team.

“They just need some consistency,” she said.