(Atlantic) The Atlantic Trojans volleyball team punched their ticket to the regional semifinals Thursday night, defeating Shenandoah in four sets: 25-18, 20-25, 25-10, 25-15.
The Trojans came out strong, opening the first set with a 9-3 run and finishing with the same surge to seal the early advantage. Shenandoah responded in set two, led by standout sophomore Lyndie Green. The 6-foot hitter, who entered the match with over 200 kills on the season, delivered a series of powerful attacks to lift the Fillies to a 25-20 win, capped by a 6-1 closing run.
Atlantic quickly regrouped, dominating the third set 25-10 and maintaining momentum to close out the match 25-15 in the fourth.
“I told the girls after that second set, we needed to get back to playing our game,” said head coach Alyssa Boltz. “We served aggressively, and that played a big role in turning the match around.”
Atlantic’s depth at the net proved critical. Reese Harlan, Jayci Reed, Jillian Saathoff, Bryn Lamp, Emerie Jones, and Adler Bruce all contributed at the front line. Peyton and Madison McLaren added key kills, while Zoey Kirchhoff and Peyton McLaren provided strong playmaking as setters.
“It’s nice to be able to move the ball around and not rely on just one person to find the holes in the defense,” Boltz said.
Now 18-18 on the season, the Trojans face a tough test in 36-2 Red Oak on Thursday night in the regional semifinal.
“The girls just have to believe,” Boltz added. “We took Riverside to three sets. If we keep speeding up our offense, play with high energy, and stick to our game, we can give them a fight.”
