Camden Volleyball started off Week 4 on Monday, Sept. 9, with a statement win over a AAA team in Dickson County, winning in straight sets 25-21, 25-20 and 25-23. Abby Berry put up the second best defensive performance of her career with 38 digs, while Kinsley Peach led the offense with 10 kills.
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, Camden traveled for a West Tennessee showdown at Milan. With a 3-1 victory, Camden took over the top ranking in the Jackson Sun. Camden was dominant from the middle, with Lydia Dykes and Rylee Rushing putting up 9 kills and 3 blocks each.
“With Camden Volleyball’s district being in Middle Tennessee, we rarely play anyone in the West. So when we do, it is great to get that win and gauge where we are compared to other West region teams,” said Coach Stephen Vick.
Last Thursday, Sept. 12, was a hard-hitting showdown with district leader Camden hosting second-ranked Creek Wood. In some hard-fought games, Camden kept the top status with a 3-set victory, winning 25-17, 25-22, and 28-26.
Camden’s defense rarely let the ball hit the floor. Dykes broke her own school blocking record by completing 7 blocks, while Rushing provided back up with 4 blocks of her own. Abby Berry put up 29 digs, while Jay Morgan Dobson and Taylor Hopkins contributed 12 digs each. On the offensive end, freshmen Emmalee Stockdale and Trinity Woodard had 6 kills each.
Camden went to a AAA tournament hosted by Siegel on Saturday, Sept. 14, to play some of the top teams around. The squad finished 1-4 on the weekend, but came away with some valuable experiences that will help them in the post season.
“One of my favorite things to teach my players is to reach just beyond your grasp,” Vick said. “I want to play in tournaments that will make our district feel slow – matches that will test them, challenge them, and make them play at a higher level. It never feels good to lose, but sometimes that is the best way to learn.”
Junior Varsity
The JV Program had an outstanding week of play going 3-0, willing all matches in straight set. The first win came against a powerful Dickson County team on the road. That was followed by another road victory at Milan. Their only home game of the week was a showdown between the top two JV teams in the District. Like their varsity counterparts, the Camden JV kept their top seed position by soundly defeating Creek Wood.
The strong play was a total JV team effort, and Coach Ross Steelman is doing a great job with his JV squad. Emma Jackson had the most aces with 14, as well as 7 kills and 20 digs.
Stockdale led in kills with 17, while adding 6 aces, 27 digs, and 1 block to her record. Karlie Davis had the most digs with 36, along with 6 aces and 16 kills. In addition, Trinity Woodard had 5 aces, 6 kills, and 2 blocks; Jaycie Robinson had 40 assists and 17 digs; and Audrey Jackson had 19 digs.
Upcoming Games
Week 5 has Camden Volleyball headed to Sycamore on Tuesday, Sept. 17, then back home for a district match against Montgomery Central on Thursday, Sept. 19. They travel to Franklin over the weekend, Sept. 20-21, to participate in the Williamson County Tournament and stretch their skills against more top tier teams.