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Bittersweet goodbye

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Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Nature Coast's Alex Livengood (4) spikes the ball through the defense of Ridgewood's Laurie Vanker during a regional quarterfinal match.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: November 28, 2009

As Alex Livengood reflected back on four years starring for Nature Coast, her thoughts seemed to keep drifting back to the way things ended.
"I think I could have made smarter shots," Livengood said. "Whenever Hudson was on me blocking, I could have tipped it more.
"I think they wanted it more. Their hearts were in the right place. Our hearts weren't all there."
The senior outside hitter just recently completed a highly successful prep career. She never missed out on regionals and was on two district champions.
Yet the Lady Sharks never quite seemed to advance as far as they could have during her tenure. A regional semifinal loss at Hudson in five games provided the bittersweet cherry on top.
Nevertheless, Livengood's role in lifting the Lady Sharks to the top of the county has never been questioned, her powerful spikes becoming a key part of the team's identity.
But listening to her speak, she doesn't sound like someone who pounded out 415 kill this season.
"I think I played better last year," Livengood said. "A lot of things this year were not as good. I don't know why.
"I think it's kind of disappointing. I was hoping my stats were better than last year. I think I could have played better. But that's how it always is. I always think I should have done better."
Her own harsh self-evaluation aside, she still did more than enough to impress folks throughout the area. As a result, for the third straight season she is the Hernando Today Player of the Year.
"It's an honor," Livengood said. "It's kind of hard for someone to do it that many times in a row. It's exciting."

Softer touch

Actually, the 18-year-old Brooksville resident did have more kills this season than in 2008 (391).
Part of that might have had something to do with a softer touch and more controlled play. In previous seasons she mostly exhibited just two speeds: hard and harder, depending on her anger level.
"Alex has the leap of a gazelle," Nature Coast Head Coach Dan Murphy said. "Very few people can crack a ball like she can.
"…Alex buried her hits a lot better. Where she used to get mad and hit the wall, she was varying her shots a lot. She learned to kill the ball with finesse."
That newfound skill was on display against Hudson, when the Lady Sharks had to rally from a 0-2 hole.
Early on, the Lady Cobras stifled Livengood's power, either with solid blocking at the net or effectively digging it out in the back row.
In the third and fourth games, she began to tip the ball over the defensive wall and had 11 of her 18 kills in the match, helping Nature Coast send it to a decisive fifth game.
Continuing to evolve her skills could come in handy if she continues to play at the next level. She hasn't signed a scholarship at this point, as she waits to see what crops up during club volleyball season.
"If I try hard enough, I think I can go Division I. Anywhere Division I would be fine," Livengood said. "It's important. It'd be fun to go play in college."
As her volleyball career takes her down a new path, even though she may not have accomplished as much as she wanted, she can look back to her high-school days knowing she left her mark.
She left it in the Nature Coast record book. She probably left a handful on gym floors and walls. Probably a few on her opponents, too.

BY THE NUMBERS: ALEX LIVENGOOD
Kills: 415
Aces: 79
Blocks: 13
Digs: 192

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

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