Holly Hill – Though in somewhat of a rebuilding year, the Holly Hill Academy volleyball program is showing steady progress under third-year coach Danelle Kern.
The Raiders won the region title a year ago, along with having the region’s player and coach of the year. But four starters graduated from that unit and this year’s team returned only three veteran players. The Raiders won eight of their first 12 matches overall this season, but are off to a 1-3 start in region play.
Adding to the lack of experience was a bout with Covid, followed by the flu bug.
“It’s a building year for us but we are working hard to repeat our region champion title again this year, even with our young team,” Kern reports. “Covid came to visit us again at the start of our season and now the flu, so we had kind of a slow start to our season.”
The three returning players from last year include sophomore setter Kaley Bell, junior outside hitter and team captain Chloe Wren, and junior middle hitter and also team captain Kaylee Brabham.
All three are starters, along with sophomore Libero and setter Abbygail Burleson, freshman outside hitter Kloie Mizell, freshman middle Essie Wolpert, and sophomore right side Peyton Strickland.
In the early going, Bell leads the team with 64 service aces, to go with 173 assists, 105 digs and 51 kills. Wren has 57 kills and 127 digs while Brabham has 57 kills, 18 aces, 22 blocks and 46 digs.
Burleson has a team-high 223 digs and also has recorded 21 aces and 15 assists.
Other team members who are contributing in their role include freshman hitter Taylor Wright, freshman hitter Bethany Martin, and sophomore middle hitter Micayla Johnson.
With no seniors on the roster this fall, the Raiders are sure to work themselves back into contention in 2024. Stay tuned. The Raiders have plenty of success to come.
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