Senior leadership key to Holly Hill Academy volleyball season

Holly Hill – With the SCISA state tournament just around the corner, the Holly Hill Academy volleyball team is concluding a strong regular season with hopes of contending for the Class A state championship.

Coach Danielle Kern is quick to point out the leadership of team co-captains Peyton Strickland and Kaley Bell, along with other seniors Abbygail Burleson, McKenzie Ferguson and Shelby Hinson.

Strickland, Bell and Burleson have been with the team for several years and their experience has been key to the team’s 12-7 record through Oct. 9.

“No doubt having great leadership is a big key,” Kern said. “We also have good talent and our younger players are contributing a lot, but nothing replaces leadership.”

Kern says Strickland and Bell lead in different ways but compliment each other well within the framework of the team.

“Peyton is the motivator, keeps everyone loose while Kaley is a more serious type,” Kern said. “This group follows their lead and plays well as a team.”

At the school’s recent homecoming, Bell was named homecoming queen and Strickland was the first runner-up.

Holly Hill Academy will close out the regular season next week, hopefully playing their best volleyball in the playoffs. Kern feels her team can be a contender.

“We don’t see teams like Laurens Academy and Cambridge but I know they have good programs,” she said, “I think we can challenge. We need to end the (regular) season playing well and hope that carries over. We’re excited for state.”

Rounding out this year’s team are juniors Essie Wolpert, Kloie Mizell, and Kaylee Cuttino; sophomore Lucy Oliver; freshman Caitlyn Crisp, eighth-grader Molly Kate Prescott and seventh-grader Tinsley Korn.