FEDERALSBURG — This time, victory did not slip through the Trojans’ collective fingers.
They all made sure of that.
“This was a team win,” Kent County High School varsity volleyball coach Michelle Phillips said of the 3-1 victory Oct. 9 at Colonel Richardson.
“If I were to give a game ball, I’d give everyone a game ball,” she said, heaping praise on Aaliyah Dawson, Emerence Boutaud, Love Jackson, Laila Sidky, Hallie Beattie, Zadalyn Spittel, Angel Cote, Marie Parrish and Kayleen Walters.
Kent County dented the win column for the first time this season, and in doing so avenged a 3-2 loss at home to Colonel Richardson on Sept. 18.
In that first meeting three weeks ago, the Trojans squandered a 2-1 lead after winning the first set, 25-19, and the third set, 25-22, only to let the Colonels back into the match and ultimately drop the decisive fifth set, 16-14.
This time, they were determined not to let that happen.
“There’s one thing about this team. They don’t give up,” Phillips told The Evening Enterprise.
The first three sets were closely contested — 25-22, Kent; 25-21, Colonel Richardson; and 27-25, Kent.
The score of the victory-clinching fourth set was the largest margin of the match, 25-16.
Walters, a senior who is primarily a defensive specialist, came off the bench to serve for four points in a row and get the Trojans to match point.
A Colonel Richardson serving error handed Kent County its 25th point and the match.
Kent County, a small Class 1A school, plays a 14-match schedule that includes eight matches against larger Class 2A schools on the Mid-Shore.
“We have played well,” Phillips said, “but the fact is that the 2A schools are better and stronger than us.”
On top of that, the Trojans’ primary setter has been sidelined with injury.
Taking all that into consideration, Phillips said, “I’m very proud that they have stuck together as a team.”
NEXT UP: Kent County is home Monday, Oct. 14 vs. Kent Island. The junior varsity match is at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity match.