With games against their top district competition last week, Camden Volleyball knew that they were going to be tested. Fairview and Creek Wood both boast competitive squads, and with rivals hungry for wins against the defending District champs, nothing could be taken for granted.
On Tuesday, Aug. 27, Camden hosted Fairview in what proved to be a battle in unfamiliar territory. Finding themselves going into the third set tied up 1-1, it was more competition than Camden wanted. The Camden athletes found their stride, however, putting away the third and fourth sets convincingly with scores of 25-12 and 25-16 to win the match 3-1.
Alix Hampton led the evening with an amazing stat line of 7 aces, 6 kills, 20 assists, and 7 digs. Kinsley Peach contributed 11 kills, along with Rylee Rushing’s 9 kills. On the defensive side, Lydia Dykes once again put up 5 blocks and 8 kills to dominate at the net.
On Thursday, Aug. 29, Camden traveled to Creek Wood to be tested by one of the best teams in the district. Camden finished the evening once again dropping the second set, but battling out close finishes in the third and fourth sets to claim a tough road victory of 3-1 against these district rivals.
Camden was balanced in the attack, spreading the ball pin to pin. Rushing put up 13 kills, while five other Camden players also put kills on the board.
Going into this game, Coach Stephen Vick had warned his team about how aggressive Creek Wood could be on offense. On the sideline before the game, he fine-tuned Camden’s best defensive weapon, charging the team’s libero Abby Berry to do whatever had to be done to keep the ball alive.
“Abby clearly took what I said to heart, because she played like nothing I have seen in 19 years of coaching,” Vick said. “Abby broke her own record of 38 digs by completing a record 50 digs to dominate the match. It was one of the best defensive performances I have ever seen, one of the best ever in the state. She was amazing!”
Junior Varsity
With big shoes to fill, the Camden junior varsity team is working hard to prepare for future roles on the championship varsity squad. They continued their hot start last week with big District wins at home over Fairview and on the road at Creek Wood, bringing their season record to 5-0 so far.
Leading the JV team last week were Karlie Davis (8 aces, 10 kills, 12 digs), Emma Jackson (7 aces, 8 kills, 7 digs), Emmalee Stockdale (2 aces, 12 kills, 9 digs), and Trinity Woodard (6 aces, 4 kills, 10 digs). Jaycie Robinson (25 assists) did an excellent job of spreading the ball around and keeping the opposing teams off balance.
Upcoming Games
Week 3 brings an away match against Harpeth on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and a contest at home against District foe Cheatham County on Thursday, Sept. 5. Week 4 promises a marathon of activity with three regular games on Sept. 9, 10, and 12, followed by participation in the “Back to the ‘Boro” tournament in Siegel on Sept. 13-14. Come out at 6 p.m. for the home games on Sept. 5 and 12 to support your championship volleyball team!
