Lake Highland Prep rolls into Florida 3A volleyball state semifinals
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – Coach Katie Gallagher feels her Lake Highland Prep Highlanders are peaking at the right time. Senior Ava Wallis proved her coach right, tallying 33 assists and burning St. Andrew’s for seven aces Tuesday, as the Highlanders swept the Scots 25-8, 25-15, 25-21.
Sophomore Kiersten Bevelle added 14 kills, including the match point that sent the Highlanders (16-8, No. 14 in the FHSAA 3A rankings) into the state semifinals for the first time in two years.
Lake Highland Prep sophomore Kiersten Bevelle goes for one of her match-high 14 kills against Boca Raton St. Andrew's in the Region 2-3A volleyball final. Bevelle also had 11 digs.
Photo by Lynn Ramsey
In other region finals, Miami Westminster Christian, a 2021 finalist and No. 1 in the FHSAA all-class rankings, swept Divine Savior 25-11, 25-17, 25-15 to win Region 4. In the other region finals, No. 2 Ocala Trinity Catholic faced No. 5 Jacksonville Trinity Christian in Region 1 and No. 8 Sarasota Cardinal Mooney faced No. 5 Clearwater Central Catholic in Region 3.
The Highlanders faced a St. Andrew’s team that reached the region final for the first time in school history. Wallis, a Northeastern University commitment, put the heat on the Scots early, with two aces in the first four points. Nakayla James and Sophia Walls also had aces during a first-set rout. Walls served 10 points in a row to turn a 9-5 lead into a 20-5 rout.
Gallagher said the Highlanders focus heavily on serving in practice. “Having the confidence to know where to hit our zones prior to every game is something we strategize and work on,” Gallagher said. “Our servers do a good job hitting where they’re supposed to and continuing to go there when they’re supposed to.”
Lake Highland Prep's Nakayla "Suge" James goes for one of her 17 digs against Boca Raton St. Andrew's.
Photo by Lynn Ramsey
Wallis served three aces to start the second set with a 6-0 run. The Scots could get no closer than three points in the second set.
“I just go back and take a breath and put the ball in the court and do my best,” Wallis said.
Lake Highland Prep setter Ava Wallis, a Northeastern University commitment, served seven aces and tallied 33 assists in the Highlanders' 25-8, 25-15, 25-21 Region 2-3A volleyball final victory against Boca Raton St. Andrew's.
Photo by Lynn Ramsey
The Scots threatened to extend the match, dialing in their block. Charlotte Glass teamed up on three blocks as the teams fought through 14 ties and 10 lead changes. But after Avery Lins slammed a kill to bring St. Andrew’s into a 21-21 tie, a Scots service error put Walls on the service line with LHP up 22-21. Junior Jennifer Cen sandwiched a kill in between two Bevelle kills to clinch the match.
Bevelle credited LHP’s film work for their success against St. Andrew’s. “We decided that they played perimeter defense,” Bevelle said. “So we decided to attack the setter. When the setter was back-row, you could tell the set was off and the libero had to come for the second ball. That seemed to be working.”
Bevelle’s last kill caromed off the block, an indicator of how the Highlanders adapted to St. Andrew’s block. Four of the Highlanders’ kills in the third set came off or through the block. Bevelle said that LHP toughened up mentally to overcome the block.
Lake Highland Prep players (from left) Natalie Harris, Nakayla "Suge" James, Kiersten Bevelle and Jennifer Cen celebrate a Bevelle kill against Boca Raton St. Andrew's.
Photo by Lynn Ramsey
Wallis also helped the Highlanders adapt by setting different hitters. Kayden Green added eight kills, Natalie Harris had seven kills and Cen added five kills.
“When hitting wasn’t working, we tried tooling and tip-ins,” Wallis said. “Both me and (James) tried to talk to our hitters and help them hit where it was open or tool if needed.”
Glass also challenged the Highlanders by sending several second touches over. She got three kills off those touches, but James, Bevelle and Kayden Green kept several more off the floor.
James led the Highlanders with 17 digs, while Bevelle had 11 digs and Green had 10 digs.
“We were working on shutting her down and staying to our game plan,” James said. “We worked a lot on staying disciplined and working to read the situation.”
Lake Highland Prep outside hitter Kayden Green goes for one of her eight kills against Boca Raton St. Andrew's. Green also had 10 digs to help the Highlanders win 25-8, 25-15, 25-21 in the Region 2-3A volleyball final.
Photo by Lynn Ramsey
The Highlanders’ season to this point has been a roller coaster. LHP started 4-5 – all losses against larger playoff teams. The Highlanders won five in a row, then lost 3 of 4. Their last loss was a 25-21, 25-15 defeat at Westminster Christian.
Since then, the Highalnders have rattled off eight consecutive victories. Another victory will put LHP in the state volleyball finals on Friday, Nov. 11, at Polk State College in Winter Haven.
“We’re peaking at the right time,” Gallagher said. “I’m excited to go to states and see how we can do.”
