Lewis hits the spot for Cavs
On other nights, Archbishop Spalding’s volleyball team might have been in for a four or even five-set match with the way the second set went on Wednesday against Annapolis Area Christian School.
Having already played two of the top teams in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference, the Cavaliers did just enough to win the second set. With much more crisp performances in the first and third and with AACS missing its top player, the Cavaliers recorded their second straight sweep in the conference, 25-10, 25-21, 25-13.
“I told the girls after the match they played very well in game one and very well in game three, but in the second we had a few hiccups,” Spalding coach Scott Rombach said. “But, I think we did well. There’s just a few adjustments we have to make.”
Jacey Lewis led the Cavaliers with 11 kills and 10 digs, while making just two errors. She also served four straight points in the first set to help the Cavaliers begin to pull away.
One of the biggest things that impressed Rombach about Lewis’ play on Wednesday was one point where she touched the ball three times, but each time attempted a different shot.
“I’m trying to pick my spots more,” Lewis said. “I’m trying to consistently not hit in the same spot so they don’t know where I’m going to go.”
Lewis had five of her kills in the tight second set, including on three of the Cavaliers’ final eight points and the one that clinched the set and set them up for the sweep.
“She is growing as a player,” Rombach said. “She is one of the elite players in the conference.”
AACS, which moved up to the A Conference this year after winning a C and a B Conference title in the last four years, received some bad news recently when its top player, Milan Gomillion was injured and will miss the next four to six weeks. The Eagles hope to have her back in time for the playoffs.
“We’re still trying to figure some things out with Milan being out. This was our first match without her,” AACS first-year coach Josiah Wolf said. “Spalding is a good team and they were able to dig up a good part of our attack.”
Jillian Hunter added six kills and went 13 for 15 serving with four aces for Archbishop Spalding (3-3 overall, 3-2 A Conference). She served five straight points early in the second set, then did the same in the third to help the Cavaliers take the lead for good in the set.
Hope Hunter, Jillian’s sister, served 10 straight points in the third and finished 19 for 20 with five aces. Alyssa Gunther led the team with 13 assists, while Caitlin Iley led in digs with 11.
Spalding has already played St. Paul’s and Mount de Sales, and although it lost both, took St. Paul’s to five sets and Mount de Sales to four while staying competitive in the sets lost.
“We had to switch our offense a couple games ago and it’s worked out well,” Rombach well. “I think we’re playing well and we’re right there.”
Skylar Emert had 10 kills, two digs, a block and connected on 87 percent of her serves with a pair of aces and Grace Williamson had 13 digs and was 90 percent serving for AACS (3-3, 1-3).
“After getting in a little bit of a groove, we were able to put some pressure on them and play with some confidence and enthusiasm,” Wolf said. “We were ready and excited. We’re 1-3 in the conference, but we aren’t regretting anything. We’re going to continue to work hard and we know we belong in this conference.”