Colonels Rally To Win Volleyball Opener

Posted: August 28, 2013
By GREG BRILL
Special to The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — With all-state outside hitter Katie Houser lost for the season due to injury, the James Wood volleyball team will have to find other options with the attack to get through an opening schedule that features plenty of good opponents.

Winners of the Evergreen District and a fellow Region II participant last season, Kettle Run provided just that type of challenge on Tuesday night at Donald H. Shirley Gymnasium.

But even without the sure swing of Houser available, the Colonels showed they have plenty of other players ready to fill the void. James Wood survived a near two-hour match to nip the Cougars 3-2 (21-25, 25-13, 25-23, 21-25, 15-9) to begin the campaign off just right.

“We’re stepping up because Katie’s out,” said James Wood junior setter Ashley Hillyard, who directed attacks (46 assists) smoothly to multiple hitters in the win. “She’s a great player and we miss her a lot, but we’ve got a lot of great hitters on the team and I’m confident we can do well without her around.”

Part of that newfound attack was keyed by junior transfer Lindsey Painter and senior Brandi Griffith. Painter already has two varsity seasons behind her, playing the middle for Strasburg to start her career. Moved to the outside in preseason camp by James Wood coach Jill Couturiaux, the 6-foot-2 Painter has been able to make the adjustment and keep her mechanics sound to spread the floor with her attacks.

Keeping up a consistent blitz with her swing the entire match, Painter made her debut as a Colonel a positive one by contributing a match-best 22 kills in the win.

“I’m really happy I’ve been able to mesh so well with the team, and I’ve got to thank them a lot for that,” Painter said. “They’ve been really supportive with me coming in and I’m just really excited for the season ahead.”

After James Wood (1-0) blew a late five-point lead to drop the fourth set and see the match go to a decisive fifth set, the Colonels got back to playing with more purpose and energy. The Colonels never trailed in the fifth set and the big-time hits of Painter and a late surge from Griffith (13 kills) were paramount in James Wood finishing out on the right side against a Kettle Run squad that returned four starters this season.

“Kettle Run’s a great team and we’re just happy to win our first home [match],” Hillyard said. “It was good to see us come out as well as we did. Our passing was a little shaky in the fourth set but we really picked it up for the fifth set and pulled it [out].”

Painter got the first of her five kills in the set to quickly move the Colonels ahead. Kettle Run tied it at 2-2 before the Colonels got the next four points. Hillyard had a tip fall for the go-ahead point, James Wood won a long rally when Painter sent home a kill from the outside, the Cougars had an attack error, and Painter converted another kill for a 6-2 lead.

The Cougars scored two quick points off a pair of senior Melvina Brown’s kills to close to 9-6 before Griffith, who had started the match well with four first-set kills, brought some key attacks again when it mattered for James Wood.

Kettle Run could not get any closer than three the rest of the way as kills from Griffith provided the 10th, 12th, and 13th points for the Colonels. Like Griffith did for a 13-9 lead, Painter got her final kill with an attack down the line to bring James Wood to match point. An attack error by Kettle Run followed to clinch the outcome.

“They kept us guessing the whole way,” Kettle Run coach Bri West said of James Wood’s fluid attack. “Fifth sets are always momentum-based, and we lost momentum early. It’s hard to get it back.”

West also felt not having one of her top hitters, Brown, involved in a consistent attack, due to a pre-match shoulder issue, slowed her team at times. Brown was held to 11 kills, with most of that total coming over the last two sets.

“I told her not to RGIII me,” said West with a laugh, referring to the late-season injury Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III tried to play through last season. “We need her for the rest of the season. She’s our glue.”

Players like seniors Rebecca McGilvery (team-best 17 kills) and Caroline Twigg helped keep Kettle Run (0-1) competitive and in contention. The Colonels started a bit flat (13 attack errors in a first-set loss) and Kettle Run played well to close out a fourth-set win, but getting good play from its back line from lots of new faces also kept James Wood, likewise, in the match.

Junior Ally Iden (22 digs) will fill the big shoes of graduated all-region libero Kelby Jackson this season, and junior Abbye Prelip and sophomore Emma Montgomery also scrambled well against Kettle Run to keep balls in play.

“I loved our defense tonight,” Couturiaux said. “We’ve had good defense the last couple years, and tonight, our defense [showed] it's getting better and better. When we can frustrate the other team’s offense, that’s a good thing. We just have to handle the ball on our side of the floor.

“[Kettle Run] only lost three players and returned four of their six starters. We had two of our starting players from last season -— Ashley Hillyard and Ally Iden — in the lineup tonight. So, it’s a little bit of rebuilding. But I’m happy.”

Couturiaux is glad to have a new face like Painter in the lineup, and liked the way her front line standout did for the first time in a James Wood uniform.

“That’s a new position for Lindsey — she’s never played the outside before,” Couturiaux said. “During the travel season, she’s a middle hitter, so going from the middle to the outside is a big transition, a big adjustment. So she’s still trying to figure things out from the outside. It’s still early in the season and there’s adjustments to be made, and will be made.

“For a first match, Kettle Run’s always a good measure for us. I’m definitely pleased with our performance tonight.”

Couturiaux said after the match that Houser is out for the season. Houser injured her foot during track and field season and will need surgery soon. She will then need to rehab five to six weeks and likely will not participate in volleyball again until travel season. Couturiaux said Houser, a junior, is already getting looks from Division I schools.