Photo by Vinnie Cammarano
Key Points
- The Apopka Blue Darters volleyball team extended a four-game winning streak by sweeping Dr. Phillips 25-21, 25-15, 25-17 to reach 7-4 this season.
- Freshman setter Kalissa Burske contributed 13 assists and helped boost the offense during the second set against Dr. Phillips.
- Apopka is aiming to achieve its first winning record in a decade with five regular-season games remaining in the season.
The Apopka Blue Darters volleyball team is finding its rhythm at the right time.
Apopka extended its four-game winning streak Tuesday night, sweeping Dr. Phillips 25-21, 25-15, 25-17 at home to improve to 7-4 on the season.
The Blue Darters have built their recent run through a combination of veteran leadership, contributions from freshmen and an increasingly connected team, according to coach Brian Mater.
“Right now, it’s been the connection,” Mater said. “We’ve been working really hard and working together. The girls are really working together as far as going through practices, we’re practicing how we’re playing.”
That connection was on display throughout Tuesday’s match, even as the Panthers repeatedly challenged Apopka during the first and third sets.
Dr. Phillips scored first in the opening set, but Laila White quickly answered with a kill. Isabel Romero then set Kiana Napier for a kill on the right side before Kierra Taylor swooped in for a defensive play that gave Apopka an early 3-2 advantage.
The Blue Darters gradually built their lead behind kills from Napier, Marie Hughes and Victoria Polusmak, along with aces from White and Anais Ruiz. Hughes’ cross-court kill pushed Apopka ahead 15-9 and forced a Dr. Phillips timeout.
The Panthers responded with a five-point run, cutting the deficit to two and eventually prompting an Apopka timeout at 17-15.
Apopka regained control late in the set. Napier delivered another kill, Polusmak added an ace and the Blue Darters closed out the first set 25-21.
The second set provided Apopka with one of its strongest stretches of the night.
Freshman setter Kalissa Burske entered and immediately helped get the offense moving, setting Taylor for the opening point before Hughes and Napier added kills.
Polusmak contributed a block, while Burske continued to find Napier on the right side. Emma Vincent later served an ace to give Apopka a 9-3 lead.
Dr. Phillips answered with consecutive aces to pull within one, but Apopka quickly rebuilt its advantage.
Burske contributed three tip kills during the set, while White took over from the service line with three consecutive aces to push the lead to 17-9.
Napier added a block and another kill, Ruiz recorded an ace and Polusmak finished the set with a kill as Apopka rolled to a 25-15 victory.
Burske finished her second-set appearance with 13 assists.
“We’re utilizing our freshmen,” Mater said. “We put in our freshman setter tonight again, and she did great, 13 assists.”
Dr. Phillips again opened the third set with a lead, taking a 3-1 advantage before Apopka began to settle in.
Napier scored off a set from Emily Durham, White added a tip kill and Romero set Taylor for another pinpoint spike as Apopka moved ahead 7-6.
Hughes then helped extend the lead with a pair of blistering kills, including one that pushed Apopka ahead 10-6. Taylor and Hughes continued to provide offense as the Blue Darters built a 12-7 advantage.
The Panthers refused to go away, using two aces to pull within 13-11 before multiple Apopka miscues allowed Dr. Phillips to tie the set at 13.
Apopka responded.
After retaking the lead, the Blue Darters weathered another brief push from the Panthers. Romero set White for a kill and Hughes delivered another big swing to force a Panther timeout and make it 19-17.
Apopka never looked back.
Romero added a kill, Cain tipped one over for another point and White finished another attack. After Cain dug out a ball and Vincent kept the play alive, Hughes finished the rally with a kill to put Apopka ahead 23-17.
The Blue Darters closed the match on an eight-point run, winning the third set 25-17.
Hughes led Apopka with 11 kills, while Napier finished with nine kills, a block and an ace. White continued her strong freshmanseason with eight kills and four aces.
Romero led the first set with 13 assists and added four kills for the match. Taylor paced the defense with three blocks, while Polusmak recorded three kills and Ruiz added three aces. Durham and Cain helped lead the passing effort in the third.
The victory extended a winning streak that began with three consecutive wins last week.
The Blue Darters began the run Sept. 8 with a five-set victory over Lake Buena Vista, winning 25-20, 17-25, 25-21, 21-25, 16-14. Apopka followed with a four-set road win at Mount Dora the next night, 25-23, 20-25, 25-16, 25-22.
On the third consecutive night of competition, Apopka swept a University Cougar team that entered the match at 5-2, winning 25-22, 25-22, 25-18.
Now at 7-4, the Blue Darters have five regular-season games remaining and an opportunity to finish with their first winning record in a decade.
“My biggest thing that I’ve said from the get-go is the last winning record was when Coach Sarah was here back in 2016,” Mater said. “That was 10 years ago, and so far we’re with a winning record, and we have an opportunity to not only have a really good record but also go into being considered a serious school moving forward.”
For Mater, the focus remains simple: take each match as it comes and continue building the chemistry that has helped turn Apopka’s season around.
“It’s just one game at a time,” Mater said. “As you can see, we can get really close in a set by messing around like tonight. Dr. Phillips appears to be in a rebuild from what they had the last couple years… But we’ve been there, so now it’s our turn to be great, and everything’s coming together. I’m real proud of everything.”