Lancers rebuilding volleyball program, day by day

HEBRON - Shelby Graham had tears in her eyes Tuesday.

No, she wasn't crying because her Lakewood volleyball team had just lost to visiting Johnstown. It was senior night, and it was a senior year unlike anything she could have imagined.

When Sharon Adams took the coaching job during the summer, coach Rex Carr had departed and some seniors decided not to play. "We wanted to get in a summer league, and we only had three girls at that time, although some of them were in softball," Adams said. "When we did get a team together, none of them had a varsity letter. So it was an entire, brand new program."

That's where Graham came in. "A lot of seniors quit, and last year, I bumped up and down between jayvee and varsity," she said. "Coach talked to me, and asked me to be the leader. It was a big change. We only have one other senior (Madison Darnes) and she had never played, and a lot of underclassmen.

"But this is the closest team I've been on in four years. We've had our ups and downs, but we have now learned to play for each other, and how to play with each other."

As expected for a team with no varsity experience, and eight freshmen, the Lancers have struggled, although they beat Columbus South and Lancaster Fisher Catholic. It's been a baptism by fire at the varsity level against the mostly well-established teams of the Licking County League.

On Tuesday, they faced Johnstown (13-7), a talented, athletic team on the rise. The Johnnies ran off 16 consecutive points to win the first set 25-8, then 10 straight points in the second and won 25-12. But the Lancers got a little better in each set, and battled back from down six to tie it 22-22 before eventually losing 25-23 in the third set.

Setter McKenzie Andrix was stellar again for the Johnnies with 41 assists, many going to Logan Thomas who had 20 kills, Kristin Metz added six kills, and Grace Slader five kills and five aces.

Graham had five kills and nine digs for the Lancers, while junior Emily Wallace contributed 10 assists and five points, and freshman Megan Gall chipped in with 10 digs.

Adams has also seen the program wracked with injury and illness. "Heather Young is a  freshman hitter and outstanding player who will make plenty of noise in the LCL, and she's out with a concussion," Adams said. "Another freshman, Rylee Warthman, has an ankle injury. At one point we were down to seven players and we had to close down our jayvee team."

Through it all, the Lancers have persevered and gotten better. "We've gone from no game experience, against hitters like they've never seen, to keeping the ball off the floor and creating long rallies," Adams said. "Our defense has improved immensely. You wouldn't know our record by seeing our enthusiasm on the floor.

"We've learned a lot and matured a lot, and lot of that is because of Shelby Graham," Adams added. "She's led by example, believed in the program, and is always positive. You can't tell by looking at her if we're up or down. She's such a compassionate person."

"It's taught me to be a leader," Graham said. "I'm going into the medical field, and I will certainly need it there."

dweidig@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @noz75