J’ville bustin’ loose
- Updated: October 19, 2016
Robinson breaking out of her slump at a good time, helps Jacksonville win Class 4A Area 12 title; it’s the same track she was on last year
Aniyah Robinson gets airborne to play a shot in Jacksonville’s area tournament title match against White Plains. On the cover, the Lady Golden Eagles celebrate a championship.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE — Anyiah Robinson is breaking out of her slump and it couldn’t be coming at a better time for the Jacksonville volleyball team.
But then, it happened the same way last year, too.
Robinson and the Lady Golden Eagles won the Class 4A Area 12 tournament Tuesday by sweeping past Cherokee County 25-16, 25-10, 25-9 and White Plains 25-9, 25-16, 25-9 in the friendly confines of their home gym.
It earned them another trip to the North regional in Huntsville, where they’ll play Priceville in their opening-round match at 10:15 a.m. Friday.
It isn’t that Robinson has played poorly of late, the senior hitter just hasn’t played up to her expectations, but she has been showing signs of breaking out of late. She had 10 kills and six aces in Tuesday’s championship match against the Lady Wildcats and 19 total kills on the night.
The same thing happened with her last year. She came on late in the year and helped the Lady Golden Eagles get back to the Elite Eight. Jacksonville coach David Clark is hoping “we’re hitting that run for her now” and Robinson is “looking forward” to carrying the team through the playoffs.
“I told him at the quad match we had this past week I think I’m just a late bloomer,” Robinson said. “It just happened, but it’s happened at the right time, so I can’t really complain about it.
“I started off all right, but I kind of got down and wasn’t playing how I knew I could play. I wanted to be at my highest peak right now; grow into it. I failed at doing that, but as time went by I was encouraged by teammates and coach Clark kept me up giving me tips and pointers. I tried my best to work on it. I don’t know, it’s like it just came at the right time, so I couldn’t be more happier about that.”
Elizabeth Poe also had a big game for Jacksonville in the title match. She had 15 kills, four assists and eight digs. Tatiyana Thomas had 32 assists; the Lady Golden Eagles (39-10) are 30-3 since she became their primary setter.
White Plains earned its first trip to the regionals since 2013 with an intense five-set victory over Hokes Bluff in a match you might expect between 2/3 seeds fighting for their postseason lives.
The Lady Wildcats lost the first set, but rallied to take a 2-1 lead. Hokes Bluff pulled away late to win the fourth set and force a tiebreaker, but White Plains reacted quickly and jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the deciding set.
“Honestly, we haven’t gone five all year and I don’t remember the last time we did four,” White Plains coach Joi Watts said. “So, after we lost the first one I just told them this is what we came to do, you’ve got to respond. I’m very proud of the way they responded and they fought ot the end. Losing the fourth took a lot out of us and I was really impressed how we started (the tiebreaker).”
The Lady Wildcats will open their regional run against Danville at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
CLASS 4A AREA 12
FINALS: JACKSONVILLE 3, WHITE PLAINS 0
(25-9, 25-16, 25-9)
KILLS – Jacksonville: Elizabeth Poe 15, Aniyah Robinson 10, Sierra Stone 9, Sarah Lumpkin 1, Reagan Stallings 1, Tatiyana Thomas 1; White Plains: Destani Alverado 4, Rian Chandler 4, Katelyn Barnette 1, Ryleigh Randall 1, Landry Bussey 3, Hannah Barno 1, Jocelyn Harris 3.
ACES – Jacksonville: Aniyah Robinson 6, Sierra Stone 4, Reagan Stallings 2, Tatiyana Thomas 1; White Plains: Katelyn Barnett 1.
ASSISTS – Jacksonville: Elizabeth Poe 4, Reagan Stallings 1, Tatiyana Thomas 32, Caitlyn Ryan 2.
SOLO BLOCKS – Jacksonville: Sierra Stone 3, Sarah Lumpkin 1, Tatiyana Thomas 1, Carol Meehan 1; White Plains: Hannah Barno 1.
DIGS – Jacksonville: Elizabeth Poe 8, Aniyah Robinson 3, Sierra Stone 4, Reagan Stallings 24, Tatiyana Thomas 1, Brooke Murphy 8, Carol Meehan 2, Caitlyn Ryan 7; White Plains: Destani Alverado 5, Rian Chandler 3, Landry Bussey 1, Korie Burgess 4, Isabella Pinto 15
JACKSONVILLE 3, CHEROKEE COUNTY 0
(25-16, 25-10, 25-9)
(Jacksonville statistics)
KILLS – Elizabeth Poe 5, Aniyah Robinson 9, Sierra Stone 9, Sarah Lumpkin 1.
ACES – Elizabeth Poe 2, Aniyah Robinson 1, Sierra Stone 1, Reagan Stallings 1, Tatiyana Thomas 3.
ASSISTS – Elizabeth Poe 4, Sierra Stone 2, Reagan Stallings 2, Tatiyana Thomas 24.
SOLO BLOCKS – Sierra Stone 7, Sarah Lumpkin 1.
DIGS – Elizabeth Poe 10, Aniyah Robinson 3, Sierra Stone 2, Reagan Stallings 15, Tatiyana Thomas 7, Brooke Murphy 2, Carol Meehan 1, Caitlyn Ryan 2.
WHITE PLAINS 3, HOKES BLUFF 2
(20-25, 25-16, 25-13, 17-25, 15-12)
(White Plains statistics)
KILLS – Destani Alverado 8, Rian Chandler 8, Ryleigh Randall 3, Landry Bussey 11, Hannah Barno 1, Isabella Pinto 2, Jocelyn Harris 1.
ACES – Destani Alverado 1, Ryleigh Randall 1, Korie Burgess 3, Isabella Pinto 3.
ASSISTS – Ryleigh Randall 44 (two-match total).
SOLO BLOCKS – Destani Alverado 1, Landry Bussey 4, Jocelyn Harris 1.
DIGS – Destani Alverado 15, Rian Chandler 5, Ryleigh Randall 3, Landry Bussey 2, Lucy Medders 6, Korie Burgess 15, Isabella Pinto 15.
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