Set For Success: Hillyard Sisters Provide A 1-2 Punch For Colonels At Setter

Posted: September 18, 2014
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Fortunately for James Wood High School’s volleyball team, there’s no sibling rivalry between senior Ashley Hillyard and sophomore Megan Hillyard — at least not during the Colonels’ matches.

But at practice, that’s not always the case when the two sisters go against each other during team drills.

Colonels coach Jill Couturiaux said she sometimes does different games in practice just to keep things fun, and what happened when Megan and Ashley first faced off in a race last season definitely left everyone with a smile on their face.

“It was one of the first weeks of practice last year and we always do a little game to see who gets the first serve, so coach held the ball up and she threw it and told us to go get it and whoever got the ball back first won,” Megan recalled. “We were on separate teams and our teams picked both of us to go, so Ashley got to the ball first and I ran up and jumped on her back.”

“She tackles me to the ground and literally like had me in a headlock and took the ball away from me,” said Ashley, who was smiling upon hearing Megan talk about the race. “She’s so little I didn’t expect it, so everyone was laughing.”

Although Couturiaux said that competition in practice last year stands out as one of the funnier moments between the two sisters, she said that there’s no on-court competition between the two, who both fill vital roles as the team’s setters.

“Ashley has been nothing but encouraging to Megan and complimentary to Megan,” Couturiaux said. “There is no sibling rivalry [during the match] even though they both want to win.”

And what the sisters bring to the team at the setter position helps the Colonels — who are off to a 9-1 start this season after finishing 26-6 and reaching the 4A state semifinals last year — attack from virtually everywhere across the front line in their 6-2 formation. The Colonels’ formation allows for three front-row attackers at all times to maximize offensive chances which is key considering James Wood’s front line includes dominant outside hitter Katie Houser (who will play for the University of Notre Dame next fall), middles Lindsey Painter and Taylor Heishman and Leilani Burch, who can play both opposite or outside.

But a 6-2 offense requires two setters, and that’s why the Hillyard sisters fill such a vital role that is very much like the role of a quarterback in football.

Ashley split time between setter and outside hitter last year, totaling an area best 534 assists and ranking second with 257 kills, and she’s doing that once again this season.

When Ashley rotates to the front row, she becomes the team’s second outside hitter and Megan takes over at setter.

Couturiaux said Ashley’s ability to play both setter and outside hitter is a luxury for the team.

“She’s the second best attacker on our team, so we definitely want her hitting,” Couturiaux said. “That’s very hard for an athlete to fill the role of a setter and outside hitter because those are two predominant positions on the court and for her to fill both is not an easy task.”

Couturiaux said both sisters give James Wood two dependable setters, but they both bring other attributes to the team because of their versatility.

“It’s nice to have two players who are confident enough in their skills and ability to put the ball where we need it consistently,” Couturiaux said. “Megan brings a sense of calmness to our team when she’s on the court. She’s very calm and collected with how she plays. She’s a great server and when she comes on the court we usually get a string of points from her at the service line and she’s very good defensively. Just when you think a ball is down, Megan comes out of nowhere to make a great defensive play to keep our team alive.

“Ashley brings leadership and a tremendous amount of experience. She brings a high level of intensity and competitiveness. She’s been playing at a high level for a number of years, competing in four national tournaments, so she’s seen a fast-paced game for quite some time. She can set a fast-paced ball for us and she helps us run a quick offense.”

The Colonels’ offense is even more potent with the return of Houser, who missed all of last season because of an ankle injury, and the team appears poised to make another deep postseason run.

Although enjoying the type of success that the team has had last year and so far this year (going a combined 35-7 over the past two years) has helped make it a special time, it’s been even more enjoyable for Megan and Ashley, who had never played together on a team prior to last year.

“It’s been really fun and a lot of people have told me, ‘Oh you’re so lucky to get to play with your sister,’ and I think I definitely am,” Ashley said. “It’s a good experience.”

Megan admitted that she was a bit wide-eyed at times as a freshman playing on the varsity team a season ago, but it was comforting to have her sister with her to lean on.

“I was a freshman last year on the varsity team, so it was kind of intimidating,” Megan said. “But I always had [Ashley] there to calm me down so it was nice.”

Another positive for the Hillyards is how much the sport has become such a big part of their family time.

Their father, P.W. Hillyard, is in his first season as James Wood’s junior varsity head coach and he’s also an assistant for the varsity team as well.

Megan and Ashley have both a grass and beach volleyball court at home, so they can practice with their father during their free time.

Ashley didn’t start playing volleyball in rec leagues until she was 11, and Megan started playing as a sixth-grader mostly because of her father, who loved the experience Ashley had playing travel so much that he suggested that Megan give it a try.

With both sisters playing for James Wood’s varsity team, the past two years have provided lots of great experiences and memories for their mother Debby, and their father, who always attended their games but now has a court-side seat as an assistant coach.

“It’s a dream come true not just with my daughters — but a lot of the girls who are seniors I coached in rec league — so it’s special,” said P.W. Hillyard. “The biggest thing is it’s been good for our family. We’ve done a lot of vacations just for volleyball. That’s been our vacations for the last four years, so it’s been a family affair for my wife and my two daughters.

“Just to see them playing together is something they’ll never forget and we’ll never forget.”

Ashley said her father always loved sports, but he really got into volleyball once she and Megan began playing.

“He just got involved with it when we got involved,” said Ashley, who will play volleyball at Radford University next year. “He fell in love with it and he really loves volleyball now. He’s still learning about it, but he’s a really good coach. It’s a good last year to spend a lot of time with them before I go to college.”

Couturiaux said Ashley is one of the leaders on a special group of seven seniors, and she knows this year is going to be a memorable one for her family.

“This is the last year that Ashley gets to play with her sister, and I thought what a special time for Ashley that she gets to share every moment of her senior year when it comes to volleyball with [Megan],” Couturiaux said. “And now her dad is on the bench. I think a lot of kids, if given that opportunity, would take it. I’m sure a lot of parents, if given that opportunity, would take it, too. These girls just have the good fortune of getting to play with their sister.”

And it sure seems like the Colonels are fortunate to have both of them.

— Contact Robert Stocks at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on Twitter @WinStarSports1