Among state’s top 8, Lady Ads volleyball message heading to Murfreesboro is, ‘I like my chances’ to win it all: Alves
Not so for Farragut High School’s volleyball team last Thursday night, Oct. 17, in FHS’s Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium.
Before hundreds of fans in the Sectional Round of the TSSAA Division I-AAA State Volleyball Tournament, the Lady Admirals made quick work of Tennessee High.
Dominating in every phase of the game, FHS swept the match 3-0 to earn a berth in the state tournament in Murfreesboro this week. The set scores were 25-7, 25-15 and 25-10.
“Our six seniors, they really really bonded in a way that they wanted this way more than any other team,“ FHS head coach Andre Alves said. “Don’t give them one point. Go hard every ball.”
In the first set, the Lady Vikings won the first point. Farragut then won 16 of the next 17 and cruised to the end of the set. After that first point, FHS won 11 in a row, all served by senior setter Bella Ekeler.
“We were on fire, wanted it so bad,” Ekeler said. “We were working toward this all season. It’s just amazing; we’re finally gonna get there (state tournament).”
In the second set, Tennessee led 4-2 until nine in a row by the Lady Admirals made it 11-4. The Lady Vikings hung around, trailing 17-11, but Farragut then won six of the next seven. An errant serve by Tennessee at 24-15 closed out the set.
Yet another long scoring run blew the final set open. Leading 12-8, FHS won 10 of the next 11 points to zoom ahead 22-9. Three of the final four sealed the Lady Admirals’ invitation to Murfreesboro.
Although FHS was superior in all aspects of the game, serving was paramount. Hard, deep, low-landing serves made it difficult for the Lady Vikings to get setups at the net. Farragut had no such trouble.
Senior outside hitters Elsa Morrison and Trinity Rye led the team — as usual — in kills with 21 and 15, respectively. Ekeler led — as usual — with 41 assists. Loryn Neeley had 11 digs.
“I think after the first set we were all playing confident and all knew we were gonna have a good time,” Rye said. “Super happy with everyone; proud of everyone.”
The Lady Admirals played Houston (30-9) in the first round of the state tournament yesterday. State is a double-elimination event, with the championship match Friday, Oct. 25.
The Sectional win was Farragut’s 29th against just five losses. Alves was asked if anything less than a state title would be a disappointment.
“It will be,” said the second-year coach, adding he thought it would take at least three years to make the program state-level relevant again. “I like my chances. If we play like this, we’re state champs.”
