Bulldog seniors make final bow against GHV

HAMPTON – Sarah Miller was a bit emotional talking about the six seniors she has coached for the past seven years.

The Bulldogs who took to the court on Senior Night was with Miller when she coached the Middle School program all the way to the Tuesday, Sept. 29 non-conference match against Garner-Hayfield-Ventura.

It didn’t end the way Miller and the Bulldogs wanted to in a 3-0 sweep by the Cardinals.

“I felt like it was a very special night,” Miller said. “The seniors I’ve coached since seventh grade, so they are a very special group to me and though their winning record may not be plentiful, I guess, their heart and dedication is there.

“They truly are, all six of them, are amazing. Alana (Johnson) didn’t get much playing time, but she is such an important part of this team on the bench and she knows what to say, when to say it and her voice is so powerful.”

Miller went on to point out what every senior did for the team.

“Quinci (Spradlin), laying out on the floor tonight, amazing digs out there,” Miller said. “I thought Jaelyn (Hickman) and Emma (Aalbers), they are the captains, they were doing so well and even Keely (Craighton), the way she can move and get to the ball and get those passes. I’m just so proud of all six of them.”

And the six started out well, starting out with a run behind Aalbers in which the Bulldogs led 8-2. However, after a kill attempt sailed long, the Cardinals started a run that didn’t end until GHV’s Morgan Ryerson had a serving run end with an attempt that went out of bounds.

GHV won, 25-13, 25-20, 25-21.

“I thought our passes were amazing tonight and our hitters just couldn’t hit it level,” Miller said. 
It was a little slow transitioning off of the net. We didn’t have our whole confidence tonight for sure. The consistency wasn’t there.”

Hickman and Elle Westhoff each finished with seven kills against the Cardinals. Aalbers was perfect on 17 serves and Spradlin finished 7-of-7 serving with two aces.

The Bulldogs fell to 2-5 overall while GHV improved to 6-8.

And the home team showed some flashes, leading by as much as 8-4 in the final set behind two of Westhoff’s kills and forcing a GHV timeout.

“We all know what we have to do,” Miller said, “it’s just putting it all together and I’m excited for when we can get that.”

GHV 25-25-25

Bulldogs 13-20-21

Kills– GHV (Chloe Frank 10, Erica Eenhuis 5, Morgan Ryerson 5, Jayden Frank 5, Rebecca Hejlik 4, Ali Hess 3, Maddie Graham 2); H-D (Jaelyn Hickman 7, Elle Westhoff 7, Emma Aalbers 4, Aja Sheppard 2, Emma Showalter, Kortney Dunt). Blocks– GHV (C. Frank 4, J. Frank 2, Eenhuis, Ryerson); H-D (Dunt). Assists– GHV (Graham 19, J. Frank 13, Eenhuis, Jamie Hejlik); H-D (Sheppard NA). Digs– GHV (Eenhuis 13, J. Hejlik 11, J. Frank 10, Rebecca Hejlik 7, Ryerson 5, C. Frank 4, Kelsey Watson 4, Vanessa Olson 2, Hess, Hailey Smith, Breanna Robinson); H-D (Addy Showalter NA). Serving– GHV (Smith 4-4, ace; Robinson 4-4; Ryerson 15-16, 2 aces; Graham 12-13, 3 aces; C. Frank 8-9, ace; J. Frank 11-13, 2 aces; Watson 5-6; Eenhuis 6-9, ace); H-D (Aalbers 17-17; Sheppard 8-8; Quinci Spradlin 7-7, 2 aces; Hickman 5-5; Alana Johnson 1-1; A. Showalter 6-7; Dunt 2-3).