Photo - Ava Roberts
The University Heights Academy Blazers have now completed a perfect first half of their 8th District volleyball schedule. The latest notch on their district belt came Thursday night as they picked up a home court sweep over Heritage Christian Academy 25-11, 25-13, and 25-9.
The Lady Blazers are now 4-0 in 8th District play and have not lost a set in any of those four matches.
The first set Thursday evening saw the Lady Warriors go toe-to-toe with the Lady Blazers early on. Led by a big effort from Katie Cansler, Heritage took an 8-7 lead as the two teams traded the lead back and forth. But then UHA unleashed a 12-point run, keyed by the play of Chayse Gilliland and Claire Chewning, and before you knew it the Lady Blazers had the opening set 25-11.
University Heights won the second set almost before it really got started. The Lady Blazers scored the first five points of the set and then, holding a 9-5 lead, used another six-point run later on to finish it off. From that point, HCA could get no closer than 8 points as UHA took the set 25-13 to go up two sets to none.
It was Heritage Christian that got off to the quick start in the third set, as the Lady Warriors jumped out to a 4-0 lead. UHA would respond with a five-point run of their own to go up 6-5. Then, with the set all even at 7-7, the Lady Blazers dropped the hammer in the form of a 9-0 run that pushed them out to a 16-7 lead.
After two points from Heritage to cut the lead to 16-9, UHA scored the final nine points of the set and the match, all either coming on a kill from Olivia Oakley or a service ace from Margaret Rinehart, as they claimed the set 25-9.
The front-line play for the Lady Blazers was more than a handful for the Lady Warriors. Olivia Oakley finished with 10 kills. Chayse Gilliland and Julia Thomas had seven each. Claire Chewning added four of her own.
Sarah Peebles again exhibited why she is the best setter in the 2nd Region, as she finished with 27 assists on the night. Margaret Rinehart chipped in with four service aces for UHA.
Heritage Christian was led by Katie Cansler and Bralee Fowler, who had three kills each. Fowler added a block, while Cansler also had three digs.
University Heights moves to 10-1 with the win, which is their 8th in a row. HCA now falls to 0-6 on the season.
Both teams will be back in action Saturday in the 2nd Region All A Classic semifinals at Fort Campbell.
