Flach encouraged by close matchup with Colts
Mercer County falls to 2-1 on the season
Senior Jaclyn Devine prepares for a serve against West Jessamine on Tuesday, Sept. 3. (photo by Arpan Dixit)
Arpan Dixit
Herald Staff
sports@harrodsburgherald.com
Despite falling to West Jessamine, a team that has won every 46th District Tournament since 2012, Mercer County volleyball Head Coach Lynn Flach was encouraged with the way her team battled it out with the Colts.
Mercer County’s last game was 14 days ago, and it showed.
“What hurt the most was sitting out for almost two weeks. I think at the very end of each of the close sets, we made some unforced errors and that determined the set,” said Flach. “But, I was proud of how we played.”
This was the first time the Titans took a set off West since Flach started coaching at Mercer in 2016.
“That’s gives me some good encouragement. We know we see them one more time in the regular season and hopefully we meet them again in the district championship,” said Flach. “We have a couple more shots at them. We just need to clean up our unforced errors.”
West Jessamine won the match 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-13).
In the second set, the one the Titans came out on top, Flach saw some really good things from her group. Consistency is key in the game of volleyball and Flach knows her team has the ability to put it together for a full match against a quality opponent.
“I’m feeling pretty good. Even though we lost, I’m feeling pretty good with how we played against them,” she said. “I saw a couple of things we need to improve on, but they (West) are a much better blocking and hitting team than what we have seen so far this season. If we can fix the things that I saw that we need to work on, we’re going to come away with a lot of wins this season.”
Senior Jaclyn Devine led Mercer County in kills with 15, while also having a team-leading two blocks.
Sophomore Haven Six was the top passer with 20 assists. Senior Brinkley Prewitt led the team in digs with 11 and also serve returns with 18.
The Titans have been without one of their key players, sophomore Salena Cox, who has been battling injury.
Before the season, Flach knew there would be a time to throw in a couple of her freshmen into the mix. Freshman Jai Maria Piazza has played her way into the rotation and freshmen Jamesyn White earned ample playing time and performed really well in her first varsity minutes, according to Flach.
“I was really proud of the way she came out and performed. I knew they were going to serve at her because she was a freshman,” said Flach. “She played like a senior and didn’t let that bother her. She passed tremendously and I was really proud of her.”
White handled five serve returns in her first meaningful varsity minutes.
The Titans will be back on the court for another district matchup against East Jessamine on Thursday, Sept. 5.
STATS:
Set returns: Brinkley Prewitt 18, Hanna Blevins 10, Jaclyn Devine 6, Jamesyn White 5, Haven Six 1.
Digs: Prewitt 11, Blevins 8, Devine 7, Six 2, Kaelynn Jones 2, Jai Maria Piazza 1.
Assists: Six 20, Prewitt 1, Zoë Yeast 1.
Kills: Devine 15, Blevins 4, Yeast 2, Prewitt 1, Six 1, Jones 1.
Blocks: Devine 2.
Aces: Devine 2, Six 2, Prewitt 1.
PHOTOS BY ARPAN DIXIT:
Senior Hannah Blevins goes for one of her four kills against West Jessamine.
Sophomore Haven Six (6) prepares to block a shot with senior Kaelynn Jones (back) and freshman Jai Maria Piazza (2) backing her up.
Senior Brinkley Prewitt rises up for a kill against West Jessamine.
Freshman Jamesyn White returns a serve against the Colts.
