SOUTHAMPTON
Southampton High School volleyball has started off to a promising start of the season, with the hard work they put in over the summer already showing results. Both varsity and junior varsity defeated Surry on Aug. 27, for their first wins of the season. The final scores were 25-8 (varsity) and 25-9 (junior varsity).

Highlights from the varsity game include senior Courtney Vinson with 13 assists; junior Sarah Williams with three aces and five kills; sophomore Emma Drake with two aces and six kills; and senior Peyton Bunn with two digs.

The top returners for the varsity game are senior outside hitter Jenna Billups, senior setter Courtney Vinson, junior outside hitter Sarah Williams, senior defensive specialist Peyton Bunn and sophomore middle Emma Drake.

Varsity also played on Tuesday against Appomattox Regional Governor’s School in straight sets with scores of 25-5, 25-6 and 25-17.

Highlights of this game were Peyton Bunn serving 100 percent with five aces and two digs; Morgan Bunn 100 percent serving with three aces and four kills; and Brittany Bunn with four assists.

The lady Indians of Southampton played again on Wednesday night and defeated the Colonials of Colonial Heights in four sets (3-1).

“We came out ready to play tonight for our most competitive game thus far of the season,” said Coach Amy Davis. “We staying in control the first two matches winning 25-18 & 25-19. We lost the momentum during the third game and made some mental mistakes that cost us the game, 16-25. During the fourth set it was clear the girls came to play and came to win. They started strong and never let up winning, 25-9.”

Some highlights of this game include Drake with nine aces, nine kills, five blocks and two kills; Sarah Williams with two aces, seven kills, two blocks and two kills; and Courtney Vinson with two aces, ten assists and two digs.

“Our ultimate goal this year is to finish better than we did last year (3rd in the district),” Davis said. “Each day the girls are coming out and focusing on one skill they want to improve on to make them a better player. The team has been conditioning since day one, dedicating a portion of practice time to increase each girl’s fitness. I’m expecting and looking forward to seeing some great volleyball this season.”

The varsity team has eight seniors out of the 14 total girls, with three captains, Jenna Billup, Peyton Bunn and Marissa Haydu, who are all seniors.

“Practices have been hard core and we have been taking them very seriously this year,” said Billup. “We have had tough conditioning. We have a very energetic group and we all mesh really well together. We’re like a family.”

Bunn said, “I think it’s going to be a good senior year and it will end the way we want it to.”

Vinson, a senior, said, “I think we are going to do really well this year. We have an older team and a lot of us played travel ball during the off season which has really helped us.”

Davis added, “Rookies to be on the lookout are (sophomore) Madison Wright and (junior) Erin Rountree.”

Wright said, “We have a lot of potential for a great season. We are all really close — some of the best of friends and it makes us very molded as a team.”

A sophomore team member added in how she feels they have improved since last year.

“This is my second year on varsity and I think we have improved a lot from last year. Everyone’s goal is to be undefeated this year,” Drake said.

Davis said both varsity and junior went to camp at Duke University this summer.

“We are doing something to prepare the girls if they want to play at the collegiate level,” she added.

Highlights from the JV game against Surry include sophomore Ashlyn Edwards with six aces and Jamey Bunn three aces and one kill.

“I feel we will go really far this year. We’ve been working really hard and we all get along really well which helps a play better together,” junior varsity captains Ashlyn Edwards and Madeline Burgess said.

The teams will also be volunteering today at Franklin Cooperative Ministries to put mulch down for the ceremony they will be having on Sept. 11.