James Wood falls in volleyball sweep against Loudoun County

WINCHESTER — With his team down by six points in Set 2 and trailing 1-0 in games, James Wood High School volleyball coach P.W. Hillyard called timeout.

It seemed to settle his troops, but five-time defending state champion Loudoun County still prevailed 25-17, 25-23 and 25-18 over the Colonels Monday night at Donald H. Shirley Gymnasium.

“They’ve been good about responding this year and they were again [Monday] night, but when you get down two [sets] to a team as good as they are it’s hard to come back,” said Hillyard.

“We don’t worry about height so much, but, yes, we have just the one senior [Morgan Biggs], so they have some experience,” said Hillyard, whose team fell to 10-4 in just the third match at home this season.

Loudoun County’s blend of size and experience was on parade in Set 1, which the Raiders took 25-17.

“They have an ability to focus, while at the same time staying relaxed. It’s a good combination,” said Loudoun County coach Sherrilyn Hanna. “I think it comes from years of winning in this program, and a good group of girls we have this year. They have a lot of integrity and take pride in what they’re doing.”

While the clash was a non-district match, the contest was meaningful to the Colonels. They chanted and sang in the locker room hallway during the junior varsity match — which Wood won — but when they got on the floor, it was a different story.

After winning easily in the first set, Loudoun County seemed to be coasting in Set 2, until Hillyard called time without with his club trailing 17-11. The Colonels cut the difference to three points on a block-kill by Gillian Kleiderlein, a junior who picked up eight kills and seven blocks.

They closed to within 19-18 when it was time for LC’s Hanna to call for a timeout. The remainder of the set tied three times and each team took turns with leads before it was tied at 23-23.

Senior Anderson Vaughan, perhaps Loudoun County’s best server, then went to the line. Freshman teammate Hannah Prendergrast, a lefty, made a kill and then Wood hit a shot into the net to let the Raiders escape with the two-point victory.

The defeat, close as it was, seemed to stabilize the Colonels. With a big crowd on their side, they grappled early in the third set.

It was tied five times when an out-of-bounds shot by the Colonels put Loudoun County ahead 8-7. The Raiders scored three straight to push the margin to four points, but two miscues and a kill by Biggs pulled the Colonels back within 13-12.

Loudoun County scored three straight and again Hillyard called a timeout, but Wood failed to regain the momentum like in Set 2.

Jess Putnam (8 kills, 1 block) won a point but a tip by Loudoun County’s Megan Bukala (12 kills, 1 ace) made it 17-13. The Raiders expanded the lead to six on an ace and a mistake by the Colonels.

“We’ve been a good, serving team throughout the season, but not so much tonight,” said Hillyard. “We had one ace to their six.”

James Wood whittled the Loudoun County lead to three. Gillian Kleiderlein had a block-kill, followed similarly by Hanna Plasters and a Raiders’ out-of-bounds shot to complete the 3-0 run. But two kills, an ace and two misplayed shots by the Colonels set the Raiders on course for the shutout.

“We have a great combination and each of our players are confident of each other,” said Hanna, who has a 91-6 record at the school. “We got a little sloppy [in the second set], but we knew we had to come out fighting and not give the edge to James Wood.”

“They pass well and they set each other up,” said Hillyard. “I thought Yeakley Pullen had a good match at the service line, but otherwise, we couldn’t get much going.”

Jessica Putnam recorded eight kills and Biggs added seven kills and three blocks for the Colonels. Kristyna Van Sickler notched six kills and Taylor Robinson had four kills and a block.

Wood actually recorded more kills (37-33), but the Raiders enjoyed more success at the service line and made fewer mistakes.

Prendergast had five blocks and 6-foot-3 Ashley Rubino added five kills and two blocks. Vaughan, the all-time Loudoun County assists leader headed for Albany University to play volleyball, had five kills and an ace.