NCT Keeps Rolling Along

Nature Coast Technical just keeps plowing its way through Class 4A, District 8, laying waste to another opponent Tuesday night.

The Lady Sharks hosted county rival Hernando High and improved to 7-0 on the season, all against district foes, 25-14, 25-17, 25-12.

Nature Coast has only lost one game all season, but the defending 4A-8 champs have raised their level of expectations beyond the regular season.

"We're not up to par still," Nature Coast Head Coach Dan Murphy said. "We're still not playing fully together as a team. We have a long way to go to be prepared for the postseason. We need a lot more intensity on the court.

"All in all, I thought they did good. They just need to have more intensity. Just overall team effort, overall team play."

Freshman Courtney Liddle tallied four points on the match-opening serve, three by aces and the other via kill by Alex Livengood.

Nature Coast scored five points with Rebecca Webster at serve and opened up a 15-6 edge on a kill by Kayla Bailey.

In the second game, after Hernando (2-6 overall, 1-5 4A-8) tied it at nine on three points served by Katie Killingsworth, the Lady Sharks rattled off six straight with Randi Roppolo serving to start pulling away.

A pair of aces by Liddle opened up a one-point third game, making it 11-8. Livengood dominated the game, the junior reigning county Player of the Year notching six of her match-best 12 kills.

"I think we didn't play as well as we really should have," Livengood said. "Our serves were not getting down. We could have got a little more hits in, got some more specialty plays in with better passes. Our back row is improving. We just got to work on our blocks.

"I think (overall) we're playing really well. I think we have a chance to go to states. Everybody is strong. Even our back row players are strong at hitting."

The Lady Sharks have advanced to regionals fourth straight seasons, yet failed to get past the first round each time.

"We're really focused," Livengood said. "We really want to go to the top. We don't want to get in the same spot as in the past years. We want to move forward. It seems like we're making progress."

Bailey had nine kills for Nature Coast while Liddle contributed seven and Roppolo six. Brittany Hill paced Hernando with five kills and six blocks.

"I think we gave Nature Coast a run for their money," Hernando Head Coach Cristi Charlow said. "We just fell short. We have to focus on each individual part of volleyball to make it all go."

NATURE COAST 3, HERNANDO 0
1 2 3
HER 14 17 12
NCT 25 25 25
Records: Hernando (2-6 overall, 1-5 4A-8), Nature Coast (7-0 overall, 7-0 4A-8).