The Gilmer High Lady Cats were back on the volleyball court last week and played four matches.
Gilmer played a tri-match at Sonoraville Tuesday and the host Phoenix won, 2-0. GHS also faced Oakwood and notched a victory by the same margin.
GHS was at home Thursday and Friday to snag two more victories. First it was Union County who fell, 3-0. Gilmer earned a commanding win by the same score the following day against Murray County.
Gilmer took the court first against Oakwood Tuesday to secure a 29-27, 25-19 win.
Elly Callihan was Gilmer’s heavy hitter on day with nine kills while Emma Deyton and Taylor McCormick were there for five and three, respectively. Assists came from Emma Callihan (12) and Beth Burnette (five).
Hope Colwell helped initiate the Cats’ offense and led with 12 digs.
Gilmer had a good match at the net with eight total blocks, which were collected by McCormick (three), Elly and Emma Callihan (two each) while Kadie Weaver had one.
Burnette and Colwell also both tallied five points each from the service line.
Sonoraville typically has a solid team and they gave GHS the most trouble during the week. The Cats lost, 25-13 and 25-15.
“Sonoraville of course has a rock-solid team as always,” GHS coach Donna Parks said. “They didn’t pull any punches on us and we just couldn’t dig the ball up to set anything up for our hitters.”
Colwell had six digs and Adrian Thompson and Burnette each had two. Gilmer was limited to Elly Callihan’s seven kills as McCormick had one. Assists were scarce as well with Burnette leading the way with five to Emma Callihan’s four. Deyton and Burnette both had two aces.
Gilmer downed Union County Thursday, 25-19, 25-20 and 28-18. Elly Callihan had 16 kills on the day followed by McCormick (11) while Weaver and Deyton scored six apiece. Emma Callihan supplied 23 assists and Burnette totaled 13.
Dig leaders included Emma Callihan (21), Thompson (16), Colwell (15) and Burnette (seven).
GHS celebrated its senior players prior to Friday’s match against Murray.
The festive day continued on the court as the Cats rolled to victory in three sets, 25-12, 25-19 and 25-15.
Elly Callihan gave Gilmer the presence it needed at the net and smashed 19 kills for a single match school record.
Murray led 7-5 in the opening set and held brief early leads in sets two and three. Two Indian mis-hits, an Elly Callihan kill and an ace from Colwell allowed GHS to pull ahead, 9-7. Consecutive kills by Weaver and Deyton were followed by back to back Weaver aces that gave GHS the momentum it needed.
The Cats went on a 15-4 roll to close out the first set. The second set was much of the same before a late Indian rally. A 7-7 tie evaporated as Gilmer surged ahead, 18-8.
A Murray timeout slowed Gilmer’s scoring pace and the Indians drew within three, down 20-17. Murray’s errant shots down the stretch allowed GHS to claim another set.
The Indians hung close through the third set’s first 22 points. However, Gilmer went on a 8-1 scoring march that gave it a 20-12 advantage. Kills by Elly Callihan and Deyton put an exclamation point on Gilmer’s senior night win.
The junior varsity Lady Cats took the court for four matches and were defeated by Oakwood (25-23, 25-7), Sonoraville (25-7, 25-11), Union (25-23, 22-25 and 15-9) and Murray (25-19, 25-18).
The GHS varsity is 5-2 overall and will travel to Pickens Thursday for matches beginning at 5 p.m.