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Hernando Today

Lecanto bounces Hernando

4A-8 VOLLEYBALL

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Hernando finished up its first season under Head Coach Patti Martin, falling to Lecanto in Tuesday's 4A-8 quarterfinals.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: October 27, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS - For two games sixth-seeded Hernando High gave third-seeded Lecanto all it could handle in Tuesday's Class 4A, District 8 quarterfinals at Zephyrhills High.

But the Lady Leopards missed both opportunities to defeat the Lady Panthers, suffering through a heartbreaking second-game rally, and ran out of gas in the third to lose, 25-22, 26-24, 25-14.

"We do that every time in the third game," Hernando Head Coach Patti Martin said. "I think the team starting yelling at each other. But they played good. The first two games we played the best we have; in the third game not so good."

Despite the final outcome, the Lady Leopards (7-18) came within a handful of points from taking a 2-0 lead.

After trailing for much of the opening game, Hernando tied the score at 21 on a Brittany Parker kill. But Becky Smith helped Lecanto (16-5) respond, landing two kills followed by a Rachel Roth ace, 24-21.

The Lady Panthers finished that one out, yet played catch-up early in the second and fell behind 24-22 as Layci Martin served three points including two aces.

However, Lecanto held off game point, forced a side-out, knotted it up on a kill by Carleigh Williams and finished off the comeback on Marie Buckley's kill.

"We went into the third game still confident," Coach Martin said. "I thought we'd be good."

Instead they allowed things to slip away, Smith notching nine points on two service turns and Williams tallying seven of her match-high 14 kills.

Liz Lawrence had six kills and Malea Kalina five kills plus two blocks for the Lady Leopards.

This marked the end of Martin's first year at the helm at her alma mater, a campaign that started off 3-3 before midseason struggles set in.

"My goal was to have a better record than last season (6-17) and we beat it by one," Martin said. "My main goal was to help the team look more organized and I think we look more organized than last year, so I'm proud of that.

"Our up-and-coming girls listen a lot better. They don't have as many habits to break and I think we'll be a lot stronger next year."

LECANTO 3, HERNANDO 0
1 2 3
HER 22 24 14
LEC 25 26 25
Records: Hernando (7-18), Lecanto (16-5).

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

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