Lady Crusaders return to winning form

By Andrew Giermak (Contact) | Suffolk News-Herald

Published Thursday, September 17, 2009

First Baptist’s girls volleyball team swept Chesapeake Bay Academy on Thursday afternoon and regained a winning record at 5-4, winning 25-8, 25-19, 25-16.

The Lady Crusaders had no problem opening up comfortable leads in all three sets on Thursday and the easy victory allowed First Baptist to get to some fundamentals said head coach Joe Cockrell.

First Baptist had lost three straight matches from Saturday to Monday. On Monday, First Baptist had a 2-1 lead before losing the last two sets at Tabernacle Baptist.

“This game was good to have because it allowed us the chance to focus on things like passing to the setter and getting our serves in,” said Cockrell.

In the opening set, First Baptist already led 7-4 before getting a number of solid serving runs. Abby Edwards and Michaela Jones led the Lady Crusaders to a 13-5 lead and Tiffany Stancill won seven straight service points, including five with aces, to take First Baptist to a 21-7 advantage.

First Baptist jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the second set with good passing and hitting. Megan Farmer had three kills in the opening run.

Chesapeake Bay closed to within 12-11 in the set for the only time in the match the visitors endangered First Baptist’s lead. First Baptist got a side out and Dani Edwards served back-to-back aces to get the Lady Crusaders going again.

Abby Edwards had six assists in set two and finished with 13 to lead the Lady Crusaders. Farmer, Dani Edwards and Victoria Carr combined for 10 kills in the second set.

In First Baptist’s first match of the season on Aug. 27, Edwards injured her ankle and the thought at the time was she might miss all or most of the season. Instead, First Baptist’s senior setter and co-captain was back on the court a week later.

“It just ended up being a sprain,” said Cockrell, “It’s limited her movement a little, and she’s still probably not quite 100 percent, but she’s been able to get out there and we need her leadership.”

Farmer, Dani Edwards and Becca Ballance finished with six kills each. First Baptist totaled 20 aces, led by Stancill’s five.

The Lady Crusaders, at the halfway point of the regular season after Thursday’s win, goes to Norfolk on Friday to take on Calvary Christian.

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---