The state-ranked Miami Trace Lady Panthers varsity volleyball team improved its record to 10-0 on the season with a three-set sweep of visiting Hillsboro Thursday by scores of 25-17, 25-5 and 25-10.
Miami Trace is currently ranked No. 11 in the state in Division II in the coaches’ poll.
“For the game tonight, once we got the kids focused on what we needed to do, we just wanted to play straight-up volleyball,” Miami Trace coach Doug Mace said. “Just pass, set and hit the ball. Sometimes, when the kids are in a game that they think they should win, they start losing focus on what we need to do, especially in the second and third game.
“They gave us a little bit of a scare in the first game,” Mace said of Hillsboro. “Then we started settling down and started doing the things (we wanted). Kind of like against McClain, we just had a little more firepower. We had more kids who could hit the ball and that’s what they had trouble dealing with.
“I’m starting to really like what our kids are doing, as far as staying focused and doing some of the little things we need them to do. We’ve still got room to get a lot better yet, but, we’re coming along. We’re starting to come together a little bit better as a team.”
Statistically for Miami Trace, Gracey Ferguson and Sophia Parsons both had three blocks; Laura Robinson had 12 kills and Olivia Fliehman had nine kills; Fliehman had five ace serves and Saylor Moore and Ferguson both had four ace serves.
Miami Trace (4-0 FAC) will play at Washington High School Tuesday, starting at 5 p.m.
Chris Hoppes is the sports editor for the Record-Herald in Washington C.H.
