Bob Jones says not on our court as the Patriots top James Clemens in volleyball
Alexis Howell slams as James Clemens players try to block
James Clemens is still looking for that first elusive victory against their cross town rival Bob Jones in any sport. Many thought it would come Tuesday afternoon in the only scheduled meeting of the season for the two schools’ volleyball teams.
Bob Jones, ranked #9 in the ASWA poll, used their size and quickness advantage to snuff out any hope the visitors from County Line Road were going to get a win in their gym. Playing on Senior Night, the Patriots showed they are ready for the playoffs by blasting the Jets 25-17 and 25-13 in the first of a tri-match with Guntersville.
“It was a big game for us and the kids,” said Bob Jones head coach April Marsh. “It was a great team effort. The seniors were great leaders for us out on the court today. They carried the team and set the example of what we should be doing.”
“It’s going to be a new rivalry that is going to be around for a long time. It is good because it gets the kids excited but I told our team that our focus is not the other team our focus is Bob Jones and do what we need to do to take care of ourselves.”
What Bob Jones did was set the tone early in the first game jumping out to a 3-0 lead before James Clemens took a brief lead at 4-3. An Alexis Howell kill tied it at 4 and Bob Jones would never trail again. Powered by Howell and Jeneva Salter on the front line the Patriots surged ahead 20-14. At 24-17, Salter hammered a kill to close out the first game.
Bob Jones jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in the second game. Feeding on unforced errors by Jets players, the Patriots used their quick tempo offense and a variety of high and low sets by Erin Shockey to run away leading by scores of 11-6 and 21-9. Taylor Whitworth, a senior, fittingly had the final kill to end the game at 25-13.
But it was Shockey, a sophomore, who seemed to touch the ball on every possession in the second game.
“Erin, this is her first year setting and at the beginning of the year she was inexperienced but now with a whole season under her belt she is a veteran setter,” said Marsh. “She is doing a really good job and doing what we ask her to do. She has really worked hard to get to where she is.”
Shockey led the way with 23 assists, Alexis Howell had 8 digs, Salter 9 kills, and Michelle Daniels had 4 blocks.
“I think this was one of my best games,” Shockey said after the game. “The rivalry is really big so we knew we had to win. The pressure was definitely on and we responded by pulling it out. It was a really good win. It felt really good out there.”
“When the other team is making mistakes you play off of that. I was moving the set around a lot today and the hitters played great,” Shockey added.
Bob Jones as a team had 27 kills in the two games.
Later in the evening senior manager Merrill Wright and the three seniors on the Patriots team were honored. They were libero Jazmyn Wright, right side hitter Michelle Daniels, and middle hitter Taylor Whitworth.
