Wilson knocked out

LEXINGTON — It was the end of the road for Wilson Memorial on Monday as Rockbridge took a win in four games, 25-17, 16-25, 25-16, 25-23 in the first round of the Southern Valley District tournament.

“Being in [Group] AA, we’ve played all of these teams except for Rockbridge in the off season,” said Wilson coach Kim Claytor. “I knew we were going to struggle, we’re young, but I’ve always held my expectations high.”

The Wildcats came out in Game 1 and cruised past the Hornets with ease, catching them unprepared and on their heels. Rockbridge allowed only two kills and two aces from Wilson in the first game.

“We knew that we could beat them [Wilson],” said Rockbridge coach Jessica Smite. “We knew not to let up, or they would come back and win.”

Though caught off guard in the first game, the Hornets came back with a vengeance to take Game 2. Wilson took the lead early with aces from Trisha Bruce and Danielle Dove combined with kills from Jessi Fitzgerald and Noel Bartley. The Wildcats fought their way back and eventually tied the game a few times, but the success was short lived as they never gained the lead. The Hornets broke away on a seven-point run thanks to numerous kills from Bartley.

“I told the girls that they were just trying too hard,” Claytor said. “I told them to play basic volleyball and just get it going.”

The Wildcats came back in Game 3 showing no mercy and again cruised past the Hornets. Though the score seesawed at first, the Wildcats took off after a short five-point run gave them a 12-6 lead and maintained control of the game after that.

“I told them that you got to play harder than you ever have if you want to continue on,” Claytor said.

It was Game 4 that was the high point of the evening, however. Rockbridge took off with an early lead, but Wilson was able to fight back and eventually tie it up at 15.

“The girls took this match very seriously,” Smite said.

A long shot from Wilson gave Rockbridge back the lead, but a serve into the net from Rockbridge tied it up again at 16. Another shot into the net from Wilson followed up with a kill from the Wildcats’ Morgan Moore put the ’Cats up 18-16, but the Hornets were done yet. The score continued to go back and forth with some shots going wide or into the net and others sneaking perfectly past two defenders. A kill and a block from Katie Clemmer plus an ace from Brittany Sherman gave the Wildcats a 23-20 lead and forced the Hornets to call a timeout.

“I knew that they had enough composure,” Claytor said. “I really thought that they were going to do it. If we could have made a few kills when we sent the ball over, it might have been different.”

“They were so pumped up, to the point where they needed to not let their emotions get in the way,” Smite said.

Rockbridge came out of the timeout and quickly put the score at 24-20 off another hard Clemmer kill.

“I was thinking that we worked so hard all season,” Clemmer said. “We’ve never made it this far before. I wanted to win it for everyone and make a record for out school.”

The Hornets were able to put the score to within one off of mistakes from the Wildcats’ side.

“Every time it gets tied like, you never know how it’s going to work out,” Clemmer said. “It just gives us motivation to work harder.”

The Wildcats took the game and the match off another hard Clemmer kill, who proved that she could win it for her team.

Rockbridge moves on to face Fort Defiance tonight at 6 p.m. in the tournament semifinals.