BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Ajiyah Jackson’s sixth block led to the match-winning point as the Class 3A Bradford High School volleyball team opened its season with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-21) win over Class 4A Keystone Heights on Aug. 21 in Keystone.
It was a successful debut for new Head Coach Chelsey LeMire, who happens to be a KHHS alumnus. It was also Bradford’s first season-opening win since 2014.
Holding a 13-10 lead in the first set, the Indians scored four straight points with Marissa Dowell serving. Dowell had one ace during that span, but the rest of the points came off errors.
It was then the Tornadoes’ turn to go on a run. They scored five straight with Reagan Harris serving. Harris had an ace, while Jackson had a block to help Bradford pull to within 17-16.
Another Jackson block and a tip by Kencie Wainwright for a point helped Bradford take a 21-20 lead during a span in which the Tornadoes scored four straight points with Ar’Nayshia Griffin serving.
The Tornadoes hung onto the lead and closed out the first-set win off a Keystone error.
Keystone scored the first four points of the second set with Taylor Marquart serving. Two kills by Kiersten Shaw and an ace by Abbie Roach helped the Indians build a 15-7 lead.
With Griffin serving, Bradford scored 15 points to go up 23-15. Most of the points came off errors, though Griffin had an ace to go along with a kill each by Jackson and Wainwright.
Harli Mosley’s kill provided the Tornadoes with the set-winning point.
The Tornadoes led most of the way in the third set after scoring three straight points with Rylie Blankenship serving to go up 7-5.
Keystone kept close, though. A Shaw kill and a Mya Jennings ace made it an 18-15 game in favor of Bradford. Griffin and Harris had one and two kills, respectively, to help the Tornadoes increase that lead to 22-16.
It was 23-19 when the Indians got two aces from Shaw to make it a two-point game, but a kill by Griffin forced side-out.
With Griffin serving for match point, Jackson had one block before getting the chance for another, which gave Bradford the win.
Griffin and Jackson finished with six and four kills, respectively, while Raelynn Moore had 15 assists. Blankenship led the team in digs with 10, while Wainwright had eight.
The Indians got seven kills and five digs from Shaw, while Marquart had nine assists.
Bradford hosts Micanopy Academy on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 5:30 p.m. and will travel to play Union County on Monday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m., following a junior varsity match at 6 p.m.
Keystone’s next two matches are at home versus Tocoi Creek on Thursday, Aug. 24, and Crescent City on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Both are 7 p.m. matches that follow JV matches at 6 p.m.
