Buckeye Trail volleyball celebrates 900 program victories with IVC clean sweep
OLD WASHINGTON - Buckeye Trail's volleyball team welcomed back some alumni players to help celebrate the 900th victory in program history reached on Saturday.
"I'm really happy we got some alumni players able to come back tonight and help us celebrate the 900th program victory," Buckeye Trail head coach Wendy McVicker said. "After all they all had big part in getting that 900th win, it's always fun to see everyone again. So it was a very good night for Buckeye Trail volleyball all around."
On the court, the Lady Warriors added to that impressive number, racking up program victory number 903 with a dominating 25-16, 25-7, 25-9 sweep over visiting Newcomerstown High in Inter-Valley Conference action.
"Biggest plus tonight was we were able to get everyone in the game, that means a lot with us celebrating getting to 900 wins," McVicker added. "We started little slow in that first game, not really happy with our hitting. But then we got it going in the second game. Really nice passes, nice sets and the girls really started pounded the ball."
On the season, Buckeye Trail improves to a sparkling 13-1 overall and 7-1 in IVC play with the win.
Despite the struggles in the first game, the Lady Warriors maintained the lead throughout and closed out the 25-16 victory with sophomore Kayleigh Abrams recording four straight points, including a pair of aces.
Again in game two, Buckeye Trail never led the lead the entire way...it just didn't take as long thanks to an impressive performance from behind the service line from junior Ally Carpenter.
Trail held a 12-7 lead when Carpenter took her turn serving, and she didn't finish until she reeled off an impressive 13 consecutive points to coast to the 25-7 win.
During her streak, Carpenter drilled a total of six aces and got a big boost from senior teammate Kaydence Starr along the net who banged home five thunderous kills.
"That was a pretty impressive performance in that second game by Ally and Kaydence," McVicker stated. "That's fun to watch when they get on a roll like that. Great effort by both of them to give us a big boost in that second game."
Buckeye Trail would again lead coast to coast in the game three 25-9 victory, to wrap up the home court.
Carpenter finished with a team-high 18 points, with four aces, two saves, three kills to lead Buckeye Trail, while Starr finished with five points, two saves and a team high 12 kills. Abrams chipped in with 13 points, two aces, four kills, junior Grace Shipe contributing seven points, two digs, one save, and 14 assists.
Freshman Anna McVicker tallied seven points, two aces, one dig, one save, 17 assists, four kills, one block with senior Josie Creighton racking up four points, 10 kills, one block. Freshman Vayda Neuhart added one dig and five kills for the winners.
McVicker explained the Lady Warriors want to continue to build momentum leading up to the upcoming Ohio High School Athletic Association postseason.
"We are building for the tournament, second half of season here we are starting to play everyone a second time," McVicker explained. "We are taking a look at film, and just trying to fine tune our game. Girls are working hard and we are looking forward to the tournament for sure."
NEXT - Buckeye Trail travels to Conotton Valley on Thursday at 6 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Buckeye Trail volleyball improves to 13-1 with IVC sweep over Newcomerstown
