Fort pushes past Giants

COURT WILLS / News Virginian
Published: October 17, 2007

All it took was a little push.

One little push to get Fort Defiance past a hungry Waynesboro volleyball team in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Knotted at 18, the Indians went to their tallest power hitter, Brittany Davidson.

With a high set from Katlyn Shiflett, Davidson let it rip as she smacked down one of the hardest hits of the night to the Waynesboro back line. Fort Defiance went on to win the next six points, giving the Indians the 25-14, 21-25, 25-22, 25-18 Southern Valley District win.

Losing to Waynesboro would have set Fort Defiance back three games to Stuarts Draft in the loss column. The Indians will take on Draft at home on Thursday.

"I just needed to get into the game. I needed to push through my mistakes," said Davidson. "It's huge because we haven't been playing to our potential."

After losing Game 2 to the Little Giants, it became a seesaw battle as both teams fought to gain the upper edge in the next game.

"I told them this is what it's all about. This is what it needs to be all the time, learning how to play as a team," said Waynesboro coach Lori Aleshire. "I told them they had nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Haley Quesenbery took that message and smacked down two kills of her own to cut Fort's 19-14 lead to one.

"It was great," Aleshire said. "It was exciting to see. I thought everyone did a good job tonight."

Waynesboro's luck would run out when Shiflett sneaked a free ball past the Waynesboro front row to end the third game.

"We had too many hitting errors. Our passes were too close to the net," said Fort Defiance coach Lynn Alexander.

In Game 4, Waynesboro and Fort Defiance continued to battle with the Little Giants once again trying to dig themselves out of a deep Indian hole.

Down 18-14, Waynesboro slowly started to build up momentum. Katie Doyle got a big block at the net and Rachel Smith got back-to-back aces at the service line.

With a one-point edge, Shiflett was called for reaching over the net, knotting the game.

"They showed a lot of heart and determination. I wished we could have pulled off a win," said Waynesboro coach Lori Aleshire. "Fort stayed aggressive. We were too easy in giving up free balls, which allowed them to get on their runs."

Those runs included the final six points of the match.

After Davidson's killer smack, Ashley Hill whipped out two line drives past the Waynesboro back row for service points, giving Fort Defiance a three-point edge.

"They played better tonight than they have in the last two matches," said Alexander. "There has been a lack of intensity, and at the end they did show an intensity and a desire."

Waynesboro tried to get back on track, but Davidson fought right back when her heavy spike went off the hands of Waynesboro's Heather Sutton.

"I just wanted to focus on the point. I'm not the type that jokes around," Davidson said. "We needed to pass the ball. That's our biggest problem."

With a good pass from the back row, Shiflett was able to set up Kaitlin Tolley for the hard hit at the net. The ball got through both of the Waynesboro blockers.

"I just told them to stay patient with themselves, stay aggressive," Aleshire said. "Good teams are aggressive no matter if they are down or not."

It was too late for Waynesboro when Fort Defiance's Katie Dunsmore went up for the gentle block. On match point, Heather Sutton missed the tip for Waynesboro, giving the Indians their fourth district win to keep their chances alive in the Southern Valley.

In the JV match, Fort Defiance swept Waynesboro 25-20, 25-18. Brittany Hanger had seven points and five aces whlie Morgan Bell had eight service points and two aces.

Becca Houff and Brooke Sigrist each had four kills.