Posted: November 13, 2012
By KEVIN TRUDGEON

WINCHESTER — The thunderous kills and momentum-turning blocks may receive the biggest roars, but fans of the James Wood volleyball team have learned to appreciate the digs and sets just as much this year.

With the Colonels (22-4) set to travel to play Region I champion Jamestown in the Group AA quarterfinals today at 7 — their first appearance in the state playoffs in a decade — there’s no questioning that they’re the total package.

They have a pair of hard-hitting kill machines on the outside in Northwestern District Player of the Year Katie Houser and senior Tarah Wampler.

The middle of the net is patrolled by a trio of experienced blockers in seniors Erica Hepner, Catherine Legge and Abigayle Sytsma.

And their bench has shown its ability to provide a boost when called upon.

But where the Colonels have truly flourished this year is in the two positions vital to any successful volleyball team — libero and setter.
“Of course it’s nice to have strong offense, but without somebody who can pass the ball and without somebody who can run an effective offense, you’re not going to get anywhere,” said James Wood coach Jill Couturiaux.

“There are teams in this region that have really powerful hitters, but they don’t have anyone that can set the ball or they don’t have anyone that can pass the ball, so they can’t get anything going.”

That’s where seniors Kelby Jackson and Emilee Payne and sophomore Ashley Hillyard come in for the Colonels.

A three-year starter at libero, Jackson is the girl in the back row with the wrong-colored jersey who spends most of the match diving all over the floor.

She is the captain of the defense and usually serves as the initiator of the offense whenever opposing teams are foolish enough to send the ball her way.

“You have to have good serve receive to get the perfect pass for the set and you have to be able to read the hitters’ arms and get in position to made the dig,” said Jackson, who has a team-high 305 digs on the season and was named to the All-Region II first team after helping lead the Colonels to the finals.

“You have to make that first play, you have to make that first pass or that first dig, because without it you can’t continue to play, you can’t be successful.”

More often than not this season when a ball flies Jackson’s way it ends up heading right back towards the net to a waiting Payne or Hillyard.

After attempting a two-setter system at the start of the year and then abandoning it, Couturiaux decided to revisit the idea late in the season and has been pleased with the results.

“I just think they both have something to offer,” Couturiaux said. “Emilee has a lot of experience being in situations like this where a lot’s on the line and I think that Ashley offers a big block at the net. They’re both weapons that you want to go into the state tournament with, without a doubt.”

After serving primarily as a backup last year as a freshman, the 5-foot-7 Hillyard may not be as seasoned as the 5-foot-3 Payne, but she makes up for it with her aggression at the net.

Not only is she second on the team in assists (202), but she’s also second only to Hepner in blocks and has totaled over 80 kills on the season.

“She protects my face,” said Payne about Hillyard’s ability to block at the net. “She has awesome hands and her height helps her too, She can go up and block or hit on two, which is a big advantage.”

For her part Payne, who had 556 assists heading into Saturday’s Region II final against Loudoun County, has gotten the job done at the net and in the back row.

Her 34 assists led the way in James Wood’s five-set win over Potomac Falls in the regional semifinals Thursday and she chipped in with 11 digs against the hard-hitting Raiders on Saturday.

“Emilee’s a little fireball out on the court and she’s always very aggressive and very enthusiastic,” Hillyard said. “She always pumps you up and gets you ready to play and she’s someone I look up to as a setter and someone I’ve learned a lot from.”

One thing opponents are learning this year is that with both Payne and Hillyard on the court at the same time, hitting at one doesn’t guarantee anything when it comes to the ensuing set.

“You always want somebody to take that second ball [after the initial dig or serve receive] who has good hands, so if Emilee makes that first dig, then Ashley can step in to set that second ball and give us a hittable ball,” Couturiaux said.

“It gives us something our hitters can jump and take a swing at, where if you have someone taking the second ball who doesn’t have setter hands, you’re usually not going to get a good set and the hitter won’t be able to take an aggressive swing.”

The dynamic duo may differ in stature, but they’re almost interchangeable when it comes to their ability to connect with their high-flying teammates for kills.

Whether they’re hitting Houser on the outside or Hepner with a quick set to the middle, both Payne and Hillyard have earned the trust of their teammates that the ball will be where it needs to be when it needs to be there.

“They both really work well with all the hitters,” Hepner said. “They understand where we want [the ball] and do a good job of distributing the ball which helps us mix up our offense and execute our plays.”

That offensive execution, when coupled with a Jackson-led defense that Couturiaux calls the “backbone of the team”, is why James Wood swept the district regular season and tournament championships and outlasted Powhatan and Potomac Falls in five-set thrillers.

It’s why the Colonels have rattled off 22 wins in 26 matches this season and qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since 2002.

“It truly is all the elements that are needed to make this championship team come together,” Couturiaux said. “We have good passing, we have aggressive serving, we have good setting and we have girls that can put the ball away on offense. And we’ve proven that’s what it takes to be a championship team.”

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