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  • Athens’ Dani Quade (15) dives to save a ball as teammate Kelly Spears (5) moves in during the Lady Hornets three-game win over the North Forney Lady Falcons Tuesday at AHS Gym. Robby Robertson/Athens Review

    Dani Quade and Kelly Spears

  • First-year Athens Head Volleyball Coach Timmi Blackshear picked up her first career win Tuesday night against North Forney. Robby Robertson/Athens Review

    Timmi Blackshear

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August 10, 2010

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: Three & Out

Lady Hornets’ season-opening sweep is first career win for Blackshear

Jayson Larson The Athens Review

ATHENS — Timmi Blackshear’s debut as Athens Lady Hornets volleyball coach was a quick one.

The good kind of quick.

The Lady Hornets opened the 2010 season with a three-game win over the North Forney Lady Falcons Tuesday night at AHS Gym. The Lady Hornets won by scores of 25-13; 25-18; and 25-14.

Blackshear, hired to replace Tosha Spain (who left to coach Trinity Valley Community College’s volleyball program), is now 1-0 in her coaching career.

“It’s definitely a relief to get this win, and it’s special for me to start our season this way,” Blackshear said, “but to also start my career with a win. I’m excited.”

The Lady Hornets dominated the first game behind four service points from Daisy Martinez — who last year was named Newcomer of the Year on the All-Henderson County Area Volleyball Team — and six points at the line from Dani Quade.

The only hiccup in the first set came when North Forney, trailing 11-2, rallied to trim the lead to 11-10 on the strength of seven straight service points from Morgan Fischer. But kills by Martinez and Halei Gabbert helped put the first game away.

The Lady Falcons came out looking like a different team in the second game, running out to a 14-4 lead early on. Their big hitter, Brittny Norris, came alive to help North Forney out to the big lead.

But the Lady Hornets cut right into that lead when Quade nailed six service points and Kayla Stanley ripped off nine straight points. Martinez, Gabbert and Kelly Spears all scored points during those two extended runs.

North Forney’s hit into the net tied the second game at 15-15, and they tried to call a timeout to induce a side out. Instead, the Lady Hornets scored six more points to take a 21-15 lead before the Lady Falcons were finally able to break serve.

The third and deciding game see-sawed back and forth, with Athens and North Forney tying the game six times within the first 11 points.

The Lady Hornets started to pull away on Stanley’s dink kill that made it 12-11, followed by Quade’s block at the net.

Moments later, Martinez stepped to the service line and rattled off eight consecutive points to break the game open. Within that span, Spears had a pair of kills and Martinez dropped in three aces.

Another Spears kill ended the match in three straight for the Lady Hornets.

Stanley said she was pleasantly surprised with the Lady Hornets’ season-opening performance — especially after they struggled last week in a scrimmage against a very athletic Mexia team.

“I think everybody had fun tonight,” said Stanley, a senior “It’s a lot easier to play when you’re having fun. We were all talking and communicating out there.”

Said Blackshear: “They have great attitudes, and that has a lot to do with how we’re coming together.”

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