While Monday’s sweep loss to Luray, the first loss of the season for Madison County volleyball, was a tough way to start the week, returning the favor to Strasburg on a night where the Mountaineers did their best to raise awareness for breast cancer was a nice piece of redemption.
In a great display of community spirit, Madison brought forward survivors of breast cancer, raised money to donate locally, and by the way, swept the Rams 3-0 behind its forte of balance up front and a busy night from Logan Coates, 25-20, 25-8, 25-12.
“We’re real glad we bounced back,” said Mountaineers coach Carol Nowakoski. “We showed a lot of hitting power tonight. We were a little worried about that but it was great tonight. I don’t think we’re as even as hot as we can be. We had 34 kills but it was nice that so many different people had kills.”
The closest the night ever was came in the first set when it was 9-7 in Madison’s favor. After that, the Mountaineers simply blew by the visitors. An 11-5 run from that point in the first set fueled the 1-0 lead and in the second set, Madison looked as dominant as it could.
Starting with a 6-1 lead in the second game, the Mountaineers cruised to go up 12-3 before 18-4 and 24-6. With Coates passing well and playing some solid defense, Cassity Lacy, Sheridan Santinga and Chandler Gentry led the way offensively to overwhelm the Rams defense.
“I think we learned how to lose and take that and turn it into something,” Santinga said. “It’s always hard to lose, but when you reach that competition it makes you better as a player, as a team. Our hitters were on tonight, our sets were perfect.”
Madison got off to a 9-3 lead to start the third and final set and while Starsburg answered with a 4-2 run, that was it as the Mountaineers picked up 12 of the next 16 points and finished off the match with a 25-12 win.
On the night Lacy and Santinga each had seven kills to go with Gentry’s five. Coates had an all-around performance coming up with 15 assists, 12 digs, two aces and four kills.
“Logan always practices hard,” Santinga said. “It’s great to work with her. She plays hard, she hustles and that’s how she gets around (the court) so much.”
Gentry added eight digs. Bailey Colvin also had three aces.
As for the fundraiser, without question the main event of the night, the Mountaineers received donations for each kill and block in addition to the money it raised from silent auctions and a 50-50 raffle. The cash will be sent to the University of Virginia Hospital’s Emily Couric Cancer Center to help families in the area. Strasburg also stepped up and wore a deep shade of pink of shirts. The Virginia High School League also donated pink balls for the game keeping the color scheme nice and consistent.
“I don’t think there was a lot of pressure to win tonight,” Lacy said. “But it was definitely nice for everyone here who showed up.”
Madison (13-1) travels to Rappahannock on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
