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Bishop Moore sweeps Lake Placid out of 2-4A regionals

Anika Groom's 12 digs and 7 aces pace the Hornets
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ORLANDO, FLORIDA. – Anika Groom burned Lake Placid’s service reception for seven aces Tuesday, sparking the Bishop Moore Hornets to a 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 rout in a Region 2-4A quarterfinal volleyball match.

Groom also had a team-high 12 digs for the Hornets (19-7), who will host the Lakeland McKeel, a 25-19, 21-25, 25-17, 25-22 winner over DeSoto, on Friday.

Bishop Moore, a six-time state champion and 2021 state semifinalist, reached the region semifinals for the eighth consecutive year. The Hornets have also won seven of their last eight matches.

Bishop Moore sophomore Anika Groom served a match-high seven aces to help the Hornets rout Lake Placid 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 in the Region 2-4A volleyball quarterfinals.

Bishop Moore sophomore Anika Groom served a match-high seven aces to help the Hornets rout Lake Placid 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 in the Region 2-4A volleyball quarterfinals.

“We developed a program of having confidence in ourselves and our teammates,” said Bishop Moore junior outside hitter Emily Schellenberg, who had 15 kills. “We’ve grown a lot more cohesive the last couple games.”

Bishop Moore coach Brian Reim said serving has been a key part of that stretch. “Something we established from last season was trying to maintain aggressiveness throughout the match,” Reim said.

The Hornets overwhelmed Lake Placid (15-8) with their serve, getting 19 aces. It’s the fifth match where the Hornets tallied 10 aces or more. Sophia Iglesias added six aces for the Hornets.

Groom and Iglesias had at lest two aces in every set.

“The strategy was to be very aggressive and give it all we could, and a lot of topspin serves,” Groom said.

The Dragons got only one point in the first set off a positive play – a Paige Person/Sarah Sherley block. By that point, the Hornets were up 21-5.

Lake Placid struggled so much to receive serve that it did not get a kill until the second set, when Sherley’s kill off a Jenna Walker assist cut Bishop Moore’s lead to 4-1.

Lake Placid’s service-reception troubles gave Iglesias almost carte blanche to set any hitter. She tallied 21 assists. Teammate Hailey Haug added seven assists.

“(A strong serve) helps, because we can get an easy ball back, so we can run certain plays,” Iglesias said.

Schellenberg feasted on Lake Placid’s defense, getting seven of her 15 kills in the first set. Leah McDonald added seven kills, while Wayne State commitment Jaide Wirth added six kills and two blocks. Iglesias said she loves having options when setting, which prevents foes from keying on one Hornet.

“It speaks to our defense and our serve-receive when we get to run our middles,” Schellenberg said. “We got to use our middles.”

Reim also took advantage of the match to test new blocking schemes. The Hornets came up with four blocks, with McDonald, Wirth and Charlet Middeke each getting two block-assists.

Brooke Walker led Lake Placid’s offense with four kills, while sister Jenna Walker had six assists.

“It was a good night to get some practice in, making some strong blocking moves out to the pins,” Reim said.

That work will be vital as the Hornets face McKeel, ranked 16th in FHSAA’s 4A rankings.

“We just have to play more aggressive,” Iglesias said. “Teams are just going to get better and better. We’ve just got to have more energy.”

Bishop Moore players (from left) Sophia Iglesias, Lauren Vintilla, Jaide Wirth and Anika Groom celebrate one of Wirth's six kills against Lake Placid in Thursday's Region 2-4A quarterfinal match.

Bishop Moore players (from left) Sophia Iglesias, Lauren Vintilla, Jaide Wirth and Anika Groom celebrate one of Wirth's six kills against Lake Placid in Thursday's Region 2-4A quarterfinal match.

Bishop Moore blockers Leah McDonald (2) and Jaide Wirth (8) block Lake Placid's Sarah Sherley during the second set of the Hornets' 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 Region 2-4A quarterfinal victory. McDonald and Wirth each had two block assists.

Bishop Moore blockers Leah McDonald (2) and Jaide Wirth (8) block Lake Placid's Sarah Sherley during the second set of the Hornets' 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 Region 2-4A quarterfinal victory. McDonald and Wirth each had two block assists.

Bishop Moore junior Emily Schellenberg goes for one of her match-high 15 kills against Lake Placid. Schellenberg also had 12 digs in the 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 victory in the Region 2-4A quarterfinals.

Bishop Moore junior Emily Schellenberg goes for one of her match-high 15 kills against Lake Placid. Schellenberg also had 12 digs in the 25-5, 25-12, 25-6 victory in the Region 2-4A quarterfinals.

Bishop Moore's Leah McDonald (2) goes for a kill against the block of Lake Placid's Chloe Mendez while Bishop Moore's Jaide Wirth (8) provides backup. McDonald had seven kills and two blocks.

Bishop Moore's Leah McDonald (2) goes for a kill against the block of Lake Placid's Chloe Mendez while Bishop Moore's Jaide Wirth (8) provides backup. McDonald had seven kills and two blocks.