Athens’ eighth-ranked volleyball team beat Colon 25-18, 25-13, 25-13 Wednesday in a Class D district quarterfinal match at Burr Oak. The Magi finished the season with a 7-26-5 record.
Junior Bailey Fisher tallied five kills, seven assists, one kill and two digs for Colon. Senior co-captain Makayla Craun racked up five kills, two blocks and four digs and fellow senior co-captain Sarah Hutson tallied two kills and seven digs. Senior setter Coley Clemens finished with eight assists, and three digs. Senior Isabel Vigil added six digs and senior Caitlyn Clipfell posted four digs.
Visit the Scoreboard page for complete team statistics.
“We went out on the floor tonight with six varsity players who could play,” Magi coach Crystal Delp said. “Tallison Wilson was not released by her doctor to play (knee), and Bailey Clipfell (libero) has been diagnosed with a medical issue in the last two days that prevented her from playing this evening also. We did bring up 4 JV players for districts and they were a huge help in helping these ladies prepare for this evening. The Athens team serves very hard and I was pleased with our serve recieve as we only gave up 4 aces for the entire match. They also hit hard and we put up a lot of touches that prevented kills and allowed our defense to get under the ball and make a pass.”
Athens will take on host Burr Oak Friday in the semifinals.
“I talked to the girls on the bus ride to Burr Oak about having no regrets,” Delp said. “With five seniors and facing what was potentially their last competitive volleyball game ever, I reminded them that in 20 years when they look back and remember tonight, they would want to remember that there was nothing else they could have done, that they left it all on the floor.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these six young women because that’s what they did. They played the best game I have ever seen them play in any season.”