Kenton’s Cailyn Hopkins spikes the ball between Lima Senior’s Malya Manley (7), and Kennedy Simpson-Parks (8) Tuesday night in Lima.
Nate Reynolds | The Lima News
LIMA – Kenton head volleyball coach Juli Dearing has a great deal of confidence in her seniors.
In Tuesday’s non-league matchup against Lima Senior, Dearing’s veteran group came through when her team needed it as Kenton defeated Lima Senior in four sets – 25-18, 22-25, 25-17, 27-15 at Lima Senior.
Kenton improved to 9-3 overall, while Lima Senior slipped to 9-4 in all games played.
After Kenton led from start to finish in Tuesday’s opening set, Lima Senior came back strong in the next three sets.
In the second set, the score was tied twice before Lima Senior eventually took control and came away with the 3-point win.
In the third set, it was all tied up four times before Kenton pulled away for the 8-point victory.
Then, in the fourth set, Kenton battled back from a 7-point deficit to notch the hard-fought 2-point victory over the Spartans.
Leading the way for Kenton on Tuesday were seniors Macee Heckathorn (18 kills, 2 aces, 14 digs), Sadie Larrabee (16 kills, 3 aces), Morgan Lyons (4 kills, 16 assists, 2 aces) and Cailyn Hopkins (15 digs, 2 kills).
“They’re my four-year starters,” Dearing said. “‘Mo’ (Morgan Lyons) is a good setter. She’s one of the best around. She did a great job tonight. My two middle-hitters have been there. They’re comfortable. Macee (Heckathorn) has moved to the outside, and it’s working (well) that way. Sadie (Larrabee) just knows that if the ball is above the net, it is hers. That’s the way I’ve coached her for the past four years. So, she knows to go after it. That’s what we try to do.
“Cailyn (Hopkins) does a nice job of just keeping the morale. She never gives up. She does a great job of making a play when we really need it. So, kudos to my team. They did a great job tonight. I have seven seniors. Four of them are returning starters. This is my first-year group. So, we’ve kind of been through it all together. I’m proud of them.”
Leading the charge for Lima Senior on Tuesday were Makayla Redd (18 kills, 4 aces), Alisandra Vanmeter (28 digs, 6 aces) and Kennedy Simpson-Parks (9 kills).
“They played really well against us,” Dearing said about Lima Senior. “They’re scrappy. Kudos to them. They made a lot of adjustments on our hitters. So, our hitters had to make some adjustments too. That’s what we’re working on but when we needed some plays tonight, the girls made them.”
Dearing said it has been a challenging week so far.
“This week is homecoming week, so it’s never a normal schedule, mindset and all that kind of stuff. I just told the girls, ‘No. 1, we came out with a win. No. 2, they showed some character and some heart’. That was some good stuff to see them buckle down and come away with a win. So, I got to love it,” she said.
Kenton – 25-18, 22-25, 25-17, 27-25
Kills: Kenton – Macee Heckathorn 18; Lima Senior – Makaya Redd 18
Digs: Kenton – Cailyn Hopkins 15; Lima Senior – Alisandra Vanmeter 28
Aces: Kenton – Sadie Larrabee 3; Lima Senior – Alisandra Vanmeter 6
