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Hernando Today

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: May 11, 2008

Right away in her freshman season, Alex Livengood showed that she would soon become the most dominant player in the county.

In 2006 she made up for the loss of Illeana Santos, helping Nature Coast survive a mid-season coaching change, earn a share of the county title and reach regionals for a third straight season.

The 16-year-old daughter of Brooksville's Jeff and Cile Livengood was also the only freshman on the Hernando Today All-County team and though she did not win Player of the Year, she did merit some consideration.

This time around, the choice became a little clearer, as the Lady Sharks swept the county and won their district for the first time.

"She's the strongest player in the county right now," Central Head Coach Vicki Weaver said.

Thus in just her sophomore year, the outside/middle hitter has been named Hernando Today's Player of the Year.

"It really makes me feel good. It makes me excited," Livengood said. "I thought (the season) went a lot better than my freshman year. Everybody played more as a team since (Head Coach) Dan (Murphy) came in.

"I think I improved a little bit. I worked a little bit harder this season but I could do a little better. I think overall I did a pretty good job keeping everyone together and cheery."

Family ties

An experienced club player before she came to Nature Coast, Livengood had an idea of what to expect in prep volleyball by watching from the stands.

Her older sister, Erica Livengood, starred at Central before graduating in 2005 and moving on to play for Pasco-Hernando Community College.

"I've got to try to keep up with her, too," the younger Livengood said. "I went to her games. I looked at how tough it was, the team stuff; I got accustomed to the crowds."

That might have helped her this year as she attempted to hone the leadership skills expected of someone who plays such an important role on her team.

"I thought if I tried to mature and take command, maybe they'd listen to me," Livengood said. "Most of the time they did.

"I also thought it'd be good for me to break out of my shell, to bring the team together for a bigger cause."

Juniors Kayla Bailey and Randi Roppolo, fellow all-county selections, plus Livengood gave the Lady Sharks several formidable options at the net.

At times, all three starred for 20-6 Nature Coast, a district runner-up three consecutive seasons before upending defending champ Hudson High in the district semifinals and beating out Zephyrhills for the Class 4A, District 8 crown.

In the district finale versus Zephyrhills, Livengood notched 17 kills. She followed up with a match-high 13 in a regional loss to Groveland-South Lake.

"I take my stress out on the ball," Livengood said. "I get mad; I think 'I'll try to hit the ball.' Hopefully it goes where I want it to go."

Both she and her coach are working this off-season on making her more than just a power hitter.

"She hits straight down and I think that's where her game will improve more this (coming) year, on burying hits," Murphy said. "We'll make her hit hard ones, hit soft ones. If she hits soft she'll have them flat-footed and it will drop in front of them."

Already blessed with the county and district's best squad, Murphy will have most of his key players returning and believes he'll have an even stronger group this coming season.

The expectations are rising for the Lady Sharks, as they will for Livengood as she continues to scratch the surface of her potential.

"She's more polished at a younger age than anyone in the county," Murphy said. "She's definitely strong. She's just much more ready to play the game than anyone in the county. You can imagine what she'll be her junior year.

"She's got D-I potential and she'd be a definite asset to any Division I team that picks her up."

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com

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