FLEMING ISLAND - With Lauren Broskey bashing over 16 scoring strikes, the Fleming Island High volleyball team won a 3-2 match Tuesday over Ponte Vedra to put the Golden Eagles into prime position to challenge Middleburg for the top seed in district 3-5A. Fleming Island won game two, 25-22, and game three, 25-21, but lost the fourth game, 25-11, to set up the dramatic fifth game. Fleming Island won the match with a 15-9 win.
"Lauren and Lillie Eason in the final game won the match," said Fleming Island coach Amy Yoder, now 8-2. Eason finished with 15 kills.
Last year, Middleburg defeated Fleming Island for the district 3-5A title and the two teams will meet September 25 at Middleburg in a sneak peek at what may be a repeat district final.
Middleburg lost a 3-0 match to Ponte Vedra earlier in the regular season and also lost a 2-1 preseason match with Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny's Preseason Tournament of Champions.
The Broncos won Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Oakleaf.
Senior hitter Camden Rahn has 147 kills to lead the district 3-5A top hitters with her 147 total ninth in Class 5A.
Ridgeview traveled to Trinity Christian Academy and lost a 3-0 match to fall to 9-4. Colette Jones led the Panthers with just nine kills with Trinity winning with scores of 25-17, 25-18 and 25-19 with a trip to Keystone Heights on Thurs, Sept. 18.
In Keystone Heights, the Lady Indians faced off with St. Johns Country Day School and first year coach Amy Walker and also battled to a 3-2 win. Keystone Heights improves their season to 11-5. St. Johns won the first two games; 25-20 and 25-16, with Keystone Heights battling back to win the final three and snag the win; 25-12, 25-21 and 15-11.
At Bolles, Clay lost a 3-0 match to drop to 5-8. Orange Park lost 3-0 to Baldwin to drop to 2-11.
For Fleming Island coach Amy Yoder, the balance of a strong front net presence with Brosky, who leads the Golden Eagle scoring with 131 kills, and some recent athletic play on the defensive back line from Maddie Culbreath and Hanna Kophamer has produced an 8-2 overall record.
Brosky and Middleburg's Rahn are top two hitters in district; Brosky 11th in Class 5A.
Bishop Kenny, last week, delivered a wake up call to the Golden Eagles with a 3-1 second loss for Fleming Island with the Crusaders, according to Yoder, making significant adjustments to win the final two games.
"They made the adjustments and we didn't," said Yoder. "Except for our game with Santa Fe (Fleming Island's first loss), we haven't been challenged by the caliber of play like Bishop Kenny showed us."
Against Ponte Vedra, now 7-7, with the Sharks having a front line very much taller than the Golden Eagles, Brosky and Lillie Eason challenged the net with Eason adding 15 kills to Brosky's 16. Ponte Vedra's front includes 6'-5" Ellie Decker, a senior, and three hitters at 6'-1".
Ava Zayakosky and Kaylee Clark were effective in countering the Sharks attack with nine blocks between the two.