Lexington Catholic overpowers West Jessamine in a top 25 volleyball showdown
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- Lexington Catholic swept West Jessamine to extend its unbeaten start to 6-0.
- Five Knights players made the KVCA preseason all-state watch list on Thursday.
- Coach Kaufmann credits team defense, serving and cohesion for early success.
Defending 11th Region girls volleyball champion Lexington Catholic has played a light schedule so far this season, but it dispelled any doubts about its No. 8 ranking with an impressive sweep over No. 13 West Jessamine on Thursday.
The Knights (6-0) took down the six-time defending 12th Region champs by a count of 25-16, 25-21, 25-13. The Colts (11-2) had only dropped three sets all season before their trip to Lexington.
“It was our first complete game all year,” said LexCath coach Jeff Kaufmann, who led the Knights to their first region crown in program history last year. “We’ve had a couple of matches where we’ve let teams hang around. We’ve misfired on a couple of things. Then we have the third set tonight, and we blow them out.”
That doesn’t mean there weren’t nerves early. West Jessamine came out hot and jumped to a 7-2 lead in the first set, prompting a LexCath timeout.
Out of the timeout, Miller Duncan held serve until the Knights erased the deficit and built a 14-7 lead.
“I think we responded really well,” senior opposite hitter Ella Blackburn said. “We were talking about how they were going to come out hungry, and they were ready. … I think we did really well competing with them and putting our foot on the gas.”
Lexington Catholic controlled the match the rest of the way.
“I think we played really well as a team,” Blackburn said. “I know we had a really great practice yesterday and coming into this game, I was really confident that we would get it done in three.”
Blackburn is one of five LexCath players named Thursday to the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association preseason all-state watch list, along with Duncan, Payton Avilez, Charlotte Hall and Maddy Warner.
That’s tied for the most in the region with rivals Bryan Station and Great Crossing. The Knights swept Bryan Station on Aug. 28, helping knock the Defenders out of the latest KVCA top 25 poll. LexCath will take on the No. 22 Warhawks in Georgetown on Sept. 18.
Kaufmann acknowledged the accolades are nice for his players but said Thursday’s result showed a total team effort.
“We’ve been preaching all year that no one girl is going to carry this team, and they’ve proven it,” Kaufmann said. “We had defense, we had serving, we had offense, we had blocks. When I see that happen, I mean, that’s exactly why we are in here on weekdays practicing. For them to get it done and do that tonight was really rewarding.
Lexington Catholic has played fewer than half the games West Jessamine and many other teams have this season due partly to its upcoming participation in the Kentucky 2A Championships tournament that begins with sectionals next week. LexCath will also participate in the annual Kentucky Challenge in Lexington during the final weekend in September and another tournament in Louisville the week after to pad its calendar.
Kaufmann dismissed the notion the Knights could peak too soon. In fact, he said he wants to peak early and keep ascending.
“With these girls and their approach to the game and the amount of effort they put into being a team on and off the court, I don’t have any worries about having a slump after this,” Kaufmann said. “If we can just keep on the rise, we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”
KVCA Preseason Watch List
Lexington players named Thursday to the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association preseason all-state watch list. The complete list for the rest of the 11th Region and the state is online at kvca.org/awards.
Bryan Station: Abigail Brown, Lily Howard, Nyalie Locke, Cameron Owens, Micah Robinson. Frederick Douglass: Urijah Holman-Allen, Olivia Orr, Ava Simonsen. Henry Clay: Lola Gleason, Emma Jane Hurley, Kelsie Lawson. Lafayette: Elise Trimble. Lexington Catholic: Payton Avilez, Ella Blackburn, Miller Duncan, Charlotte Hall, Maddy Warner. Lexington Christian: Sophia Gorshak, Hailey Jude, Rachel Rice. Paul Laurence Dunbar: Mia Pendley. Sayre: Brooke Barntsen. Tates Creek: Desiree Kinnon.
KVCA Top 25
The Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association released its first regular season poll on Sept. 3. First place votes noted in parenthesis. Polls are conducted and distributed by the KVCA. 11th Region teams in bold.
1. Assumption (20)
2. Mercy Academy
3. Bowling Green
4. St. Henry
5. Elizabethtown
6. Notre Dame
7. Sacred Heart
8. Lexington Catholic
9. Ballard
10. Ryle
11. Manual
12. South Warren
13. West Jessamine
14. McCracken County
15. Beechwood
16. North Oldham
17. Central Hardin
18. Holy Cross (Louisville)
19. Frederick Douglass
20. Paul Laurence Dunbar
21. Christian Academy-Louisville
22. Great Crossing
23. Tates Creek
24. Greenwood
25. Henry Clay
