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Lady Gladiator Volleyball is flying high under guidance of Jessika Robinson

Barry Byers Lady Gladiator Volleyball

Image: First year head coach Jessika Robinson empowers her Lady Gladiators during the Hubbard Volleyball Tournament.

First year head coach Jessika Robinson empowers her Lady Gladiators during the Hubbard Volleyball Tournament. (Barry Byers)

Image: Lady Gladiators Tara Wallis and Jaclynn Lewis get ready for action.
Image: Lady Gladiator Bailey Eubank displays her form during warmups.
Image: Lady Gladiator Kortnei Johnson(3)
Image: Kortnei Johnson(3) and Jaclynn Lewis(15) go for the block against Covington.
Image: DeeDee Hamilton nurses Lady Gladiator Jaclynn Lewis back onto the court.
Image: Lady Gladiator Madison Washington(10) meets the challenge at the net from Hubbard.
Image: Lady Gladiator Paola Mata(2) serves to Hubbard.
Image: Lady Gladiator Madison Washington(10) serves to Hubbard.
Image: Kortnei Johnson(3) goes for a block against Hubbard.
Image: Lady Gladiator Jaclynn Lewis(15) tries to score over a Hubbard blocker.
Image: Madison Washington(10) challenges a Hubbard blocker at the net.
Image: Lady Gladiator Jaclynn Lewis(15) tries to drop one in for a point.
Image: Madison Washington(10) leaps high and then gets a smashing point.
Image: Kortnei Johnson(3) scores a point for Italy by blocking the ball down on Hubbard’s side of the net.
Image: Italy’s Jaclynn Lewis(15) goes up for the shot.
Image: Italy’s Madison Washington(10) smashes a point over the net.
Image: Lady Gladiator Alyssa Richards(13) blocks the ball against Hubbard.
Image: Italy’s Kortnei Johnson(3) rises to the Hubbard challenge.
Image: Kortnei Johnson(3) and Alyssa Richards(13) build a formidable wall for Italy.
Image: Lady Gladiator Kortnei Johnson(3) is jump-mazing!
Image: Italy’s Jaclynn Lewis(15) returns the volley to Hubbard’s Lady Jaguars.
Image: Italy’s Kortnei Johnson(3) goes for the point.
Image: Italy’s Bailey Eubank(7) sets the ball for her teammates.

Hubbard — The Italy Lady Gladiators Volleyball Team traveled to Hubbard to compete in a tournament in the Jaguars’ new gym this past Thursday and Friday. During pool play, Italy won 2-of-3 matches with their only loss to Kopperl to enter the tournament bracket as the second seed.

In the first round of the tournament, the Lady Gladiators defeated the Covington Lady Owls in two straight sets 25-17 and 25-21 to win the match. Bailey Eubank was all over the court setting up her teammates while Madison Washington, Kortnei Johnson, Jaclynn Lewis and Alyssa Richards owned the net. Paola Mata and Tara Wallis helped patrol the backcourt as Italy’s ladies asserted their will to hold off a late rally by Covington in the second set.

During round two, Johnson seemed to be jumping higher and higher with every leap to keep pressure on the Hubbard Lady Jaguars. Washington continued attacking the net while Lewis was crafty with her drop shots to keep the Lady Jags guessing. Eubank continued to set the majority of balls for Italy who went on to take Hubbard in the first set.

The second set proved to be a thriller with both teams tying the score 11-11 then 14-14 then 17-17 to setup a dramatic finally to the set. Hubbard found a way to force a 25-25 tie and then scored the next two points to for a 27-25 win to force a third set tiebreaker.

With the winner advancing to the tournament championship, both sides gave it there all. Eubank continued to setup her team offensively but Hubbard’s confidence was rising with each point. The Lady Jaguars rode their wave of momentum to win 15-12 and advance to the championship match.

The Lady Gladiators took on Kopperl to decide 3rd and 4th place in the tournament. After splitting the first two sets, the match went into a third set tie breaker where Kopperl edged out Italy for the win to take 3rd place. Italy finished the tournament in 4th place while fine tuning their new system under the guidance of first year head coach Jessika Robinson and assistant coaches Tina Richards and Lindsey Coffman.

The Lady Gladiators will participate in their Alumni Game on Saturday, August 25, at home inside Italy Coliseum. Italy’s Varsity team will take on past Lady Gladiator legends starting at 11:00 a.m. You don’t want to miss this one! Bring a white hand towel as admission into the gym for the alumni match.

The Lady Gladiators will hit the road again on Tuesday, August 28, to challenge the Mildred Lady Eagles. The varsity and JV teams will compete with the action starting at 4:30 p.m.

The 2012 Lady Gladiator Varsity Team:

Bailey Eubank sophomore
Morgan Cockerham senior
Monserrat Figueroa junior
Kortnei Johnson sophomore
Jaclynn Lewis sophomore
Paola Mata senior
Alyssa Richards senior
Tara Wallis sophomore
Madison Washington sophomore
Paige Westbrook junior

Go Lady Gladiators!

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