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Staying alive: Judges outlast Skyline in five sets for victory
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By Jerry Holsworth -- sports@nvdaily.com
FRONT ROYAL -- Handley senior Diana Kellam had been battling the flu for the last three weeks, so overcoming a little adversity was nothing new to her.
Facing a determined Skyline team that was playing on its home court Monday, Kellam led her Judges to a remarkable victory in a grueling five-set match in the opening round of the Northwestern District volleyball tournament.
"We just didn't want this to be our last match," Kellam said. "It was a situation where if we didn't come back, the season was over. That really motivated everyone."
Comeback was what it truly was. After trailing 11-3 in the first set, Handley delivered a stunning come-from-behind win defeating the Hawks 3-2 (20-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-21, 16-14).
"We've been coming back after falling behind all year," Judges coach Lindsay Hazelette said. "We're used to it, and I think that made a big difference tonight."
Skyline dominated play in the early exchanges of the first set, scoring at will and leaving Handley in a state of confusion. Then, just as suddenly, the Judges woke up, narrowing the Hawks' lead to 19-17 before eventually falling by five points.
The second set proved to be a replay of the first one, except that this time Handley's comeback was successful.
Kellam led the way throughout, providing the push needed wherever she was on the court. The Handley setter had 22 assists to lead the Judges, but also scored with four kills, two blocks and three critical aces.
"She's been out with the flu for the past three weeks," Hazelette said. "She just came back last week, and she's back to normal now. She has really helped us down the stretch."
With Handley trailing 11-4 in the second set, Kellam led a Judges' run from the service line that narrowed Skyline's lead to 12-11. She scored on two aces during the run, and set up Alexandra Bazdar for another point.
With the Judges trailing 13-11, Handley hitter Emma Sweeney got the serve back for Handley with a kill, and Delaney Deavers gave the Judges their first lead with an ace. Kara Dixon followed with kill to put Handley up 15-13.
Both teams battled over the next several exchanges, with neither side able to pull away. But with the score tied 24-24, a service error by the Hawks and an ace by Deavers gave Handley the win.
With Skyline reeling, Kristina Salazar stepped forward and led the Hawks to victory in the third set. The junior registered four kills, a block and four aces in the set to put Skyline up again 2-1 in sets.
"Kristina was really serving well tonight," Hawks coach Lesley Detweiler said. "I think that was what kept us in the match during the third set."
With the Hawks just one set away from taking the match, Handley refused to have another slow start. Jumping ahead early 8-6, the Judges kept the set close throughout.
The Hawks were also in no mood to let Handley send the match to a fifth set, and the fourth set proved to be the closest of the night. With Handley leading 24-19, Salazar and teammate Brooklyn Steele scored on a pair of kills narrow the Judges' lead to 24-21.
An untimely service error by the Hawks, however, proved fatal and gave Handley the win.
Skyline looked in control early in the final set, jumping ahead 6-1. But as it had all night, Handley refused to give up.
"We just fought back," Judges hitter Kara Dixon said. "We were down and we responded to our fans who were really yelling for us. They were really behind us, and we didn't want to let them down. We just resolved to put whatever effort into the game that was necessary in order to win."
That's exactly what the Judges did. Fighting back doggedly, Handley finally took a 13-12 lead on a kill by Sweeney and never looked back. Dixon got the game and match-winner with a hard kill to eliminate Skyline from the postseason.
Handley moves on to face top-seeded Sherando in today's 6 p.m. semifinal match at Skyline.
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