It’s a common sentiment among all-time coaches that it’s more challenging to linger on the mountaintop than it is to reach it, and the James Wood High School volleyball team felt that last week. But after falling to Kettle Run last Thursday, the Colonels bounced back in convincing fashion on Tuesday, sweeping Sherando with the scores of 25-20, 25-13, 25-8 in Donald H. Shirley Gymnasium.
Sherando kept the first set competitive against James Wood, but ultimately, the Colonels (9-2, 5-0 Class 4 Northwestern District) dominated the second and third sets with offensive attacks from Kennedy Spaid, Brenna Corbin and Tenley Mattison. The trio combined for 29 kills and eight aces. Halfway through the first set, Sherando gained a 13-10 lead.
But even as the Warriors stayed within two points late, James Wood pulled away and outside hitter Kyla Willhelm ended up firing a kill past Sherando’s Helena Ritter and Ashley Smith to win the first game for the Colonels. Throughout the whole match, Spaid led the way for James Wood, slapping down a team-high 15 kills, nine of which came in the second set, and five aces. The junior outside hitter had five kills and one ace in the first 16 possessions of the second set as her team jumped out to an 11-5 lead.
The Colonels proceeded to outscore Sherando 14-8 from that point on, as a service error from the Warriors (10-4, 2-3) ultimately won the set for James Wood. Spaid then tacked on three more of her kills in the third set, including the match-.